Cap Takes A Chance
by CaptainRogersIsAHero
Summary: A fun dip into the world of Captain America and the Avengers, with Steve Rogers aka Captain America & Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow. Humor, romance, time travel, rescues, crack, fluff, angst, happy endings. AU Time set during and after The Avengers and during Captain America: The First Avenger.; WARNING: Sex, language, spankings. Romanrogers You know the drill, please R/R.
1. So it begins

Captain Steve Rogers stepped out of the helicopter on to the deck of the helicarrier, squinting lightly in the bright sunlight. S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Phillip Coulson offered him yet another handshake. "Captain Rogers, welcome aboard."

"Thank you." Coulson was a decent man but his hero worship made Steve slightly uncomfortable.

Coulson turned slightly, his arm indicating back and to the left of Steve, "This is Agent Natasha Romanoff."

"Hello, Captain Rogers." The voice was feminine, sultry, smoky. Steve turned and found himself looking down into an intoxicating lovely face. She was petite yet curvy with flaming red hair, a kissable, full mouth and green eyes full of mischief and wariness.

"Ma'am", was all he could manage as she boldly looked him up and down. He felt a blush climbing up his face from her frank appraisal.

Coulson hurried off after Natasha delivered the news that he was needed elsewhere.

"Dr. Banner, it's a pleasure to finally meet you," Steve had a momentary reprieve from Natasha's piercing emerald regard after spotting Bruce Banner navigating the flight deck.

Natasha began an impromptu briefing in that husky, smoky voice of hers. Steve was busy taking in his surroundings while trying not to stare at his lovely Russian guide. He'd seen plenty of beautiful women in his day, Peggy Carter being one of them. Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, was something for the books. Her red hair glowed in the sunlight; her green eyes missed nothing; her petite figure made him ache with the desire to hold her in his arms, and her voice sent shivers down his spine.

Chronologically, he was 90; physically, he appeared 27, the age he'd been when he went into the ice; psychologically, he was an ego-less expert tactician and strategist- the serum in hie veins had boosted not just his physical body but his intellect as well. He cared about people and he cared deeply. Beautiful women, however, made him nervous. Natasha was no exception there.

Since he'd been rescued or rather, thawed out, six months ago, he'd been trying to catch up with the decades. 1945 had been a good year for American pride and victory. The only thing that would have made it better would have been to be rescued a lot sooner and having his dance with Peggy. The super soldier serum had insulated, repaired and guarded his body while it healed in the suspended animation of the ice. No other human could have survived that crash. He was well aware he was a man out of time who was now trying to make up for lost time by doing the only thing he'd ever wanted to do: serve his country and its people. Now he was in command of...what exactly, he didn't know. The Avengers Initiative had been explained thoroughly in the documents Nick Fury had sent over. He'd now met two of his team, and wondered how he was going to bring them all together.

Bruce and Natasha joined him in watching the massive ship transform itself into a flying carrier. Bruce's remark about this being an aircraft was "so much worse" was not lost on Steve. His job was to protect Banner, as he would protect the rest of his new team while they completed their mission. He made certain Banner knew he didn't care about rumors, only performance.

Natasha beckoned them to follow her into the ship. As she walked, she cast a quick glance over her shoulder and noticed the straight laced Captain checking out her ass. A wry smirk twisted the corner of her mouth. _Oh, this is going to be fun,_ she thought to herself.

She'd read his file, like she'd read the files of all the new people coming on board the helicarrier. Steven Grant Rogers was more than just Captain America. Whatever had been in that super soldier serum had not changed the quality of the man inside the now gorgeous body. He had been honest, ethical, even noble, all along. The serum simply amplified what he had and wrapped it in a bigger, healthier, breathtaking package. Seducing him would be a pleasure.

Steve adjusted his longer stride behind the petite Agent Romanoff. He allowed himself a quick glance at her figure as she walked ahead of him and Bruce Banner. At six feet four inches tall, he towered over both of them. Banner was just shy of six feet while the woman was closer to five foot two. Black jeans which would have been scandalously tight back in his day hugged her curves. Her leather jacket was short enough to give him an enticing view of her hourglass figure. He sighed, wondering if he would ever fit into this time frame and with today's modern women. On the quinjet, Phil Coulson had told him that maybe a little "old fashioned" might be just what this group needed. Steve hoped he was the right man for the job.

Things weren't happening fast enough for Natasha Romanoff. She was more keyed up than she had been in awhile, mostly because Clint Barton, aka Hawkeye, was still M.I.A. and apparently under the spell of that Asgardian, Loki. She chewed on her plush lower lip absently while she changed into her Black Widow catsuit. Keyed up and edgy didn't suit the cool Russian spy at all. What to do for a distraction before the shit hit the proverbial fan? A small smile quirked up the corner of her mouth. Maybe she could find some amusement in stirring things up with Captain Rogers.

Steve stood looking at his new uniform. Was he ready for this? With all the technology and firepower surrounding him, he couldn't imagine what kind of use he could be. He was a soldier, a leader and expert tactician; in World War II he had been a hero. He doubted they really needed his skill set now. As he dressed, he hoped this would not be another publicity stunt using Captain America while the rest of S.H.I.E.L.D. did the actual fighting.

As he exited the changing room, shield on his left arm, he unexpectedly collided with Natasha Romanoff. He'd been looking straight ahead when suddenly his free arm was full of squirming, slinky Black Widow. She tossed her fiery locks out of her face and steadied herself against his solid form. The skintight black catsuit she was wearing did everything to enhance her curves and nothing to stop his embarrassment. He was glad the uniform he wore was made from sterner stuff than his trousers. He wouldn't have been able to hide his attraction to her.

"I'm so sorry, Captain Rogers, I wasn't looking where I was going. Thank you for not creaming me with your shield." Her very green eyes crinkled at the edges as she looked up at him. Her sultry voice stirred things in him that he thought long dormant.

Steve held her for a moment more to make certain she was steady on her feet. He'd caught her completely by reflex. "You're welcome, ma'am."

To his horror, he felt himself blushing under her direct stare as she looked him up and down. "Let's grab a coffee later," Natasha suggested in her smoky tone. "I'd love to help get you caught up on everything you've been missing." Steve nodded as she patted his bicep and stepped away. He watched her sashaying down the corridor and blushed again when she looked over her shoulder and gave him a suggestive wink.

 _Ninety years old and I still can't interact with a beautiful woman_ , Steve fretted as he continued to the quinjet. Once inside, he realized that Natasha was sitting the in co-pilot seat. She turned, gave him a lopsided smirk and a nod then turned her attention back to the controls.

As he was preparing to engage the threat in Stuttgart, Natasha's sultry tones got his attention again. "Be careful out there, Cap," she said, "This guy is Asgardian; essentially a god."

"There's only one God, ma'am," Steve retorted, surprising himself, "and I'm pretty sure he doesn't dress like that." He leaped from the plane to the sound of her laughter.

He was just adorable, Natasha decided. Quick witted and apparently not intimidated by her...well, not much anyway. With still no word from Clint or his whereabouts, her unease ratcheted up another notch. Once Rogers was back on the plane and then the helicarrier, she could direct her attention his way until Clint returned or was found.

After capturing Loki, twice, the partially assembled Avengers were back aboard the helicarrier, arguing about what to do with him. Thor, an unexpected new recruit was making an impassioned statement about the Tesseract and its power while his brother was sealed in the brig they'd built for Banner.

Bruce, Tony and Nick Fury were batting opinions back and forth. Thor was pacing with large strides in front of the large table. Steve sat very still, he looked aggravated but seemed to be unsure whether to jump into the fight since he had no idea of the technicalogical aspects they were talking about. Natasha, already edgy, was getting more fed up by the minute and was not wholly paying attention to what the point of the argument was. At the moment, she was trying to locate Clint via old school spy methods on her tablet.

"Natasha!" Fury's voice cut through her thinking, making her jump.

"What the hell, Nick?" She glowered at him.

"Have you found Agent Barton yet?" He snapped back.

"If I fucking knew where he was, I would have told you by now!" She spat the words at him. Next to her, Steve's eyebrows shot up at her audacity. His eyes flicked back and forth between her and Nick Fury who now looked like a thundercloud.

"Watch your attitude, Romanoff," Fury growled, "you're an insubordinate pain in the ass. Knock it off or I'll have Captain Rogers put you over his knee. They used to do that to smart asses back in his time."

Phil Coulson leaned over Steve's shoulder, and added in a loud stage whisper, "See? A little old fashioned might be just what this group needs."

"And fuck you, too, Phil," Natasha snapped.

Fury turned to Steve while pointing at Natasha, "See that? That is your problem now."

Steve could feel the blush on his face and tried to avoid eye contact with everybody at the table. He wanted very much to get to know the beautiful redhead. Somehow, he didn't think spanking her would be a good way to do that. Natasha did nothing to help matters.

"Don't tease me like that, Nick. You know I'm not that easy." She threw a quick wink and a grin to Steve who'd made the mistake of looking at her as she spoke. He blushed harder.

Nick pointed to Steve, "Keep it up, Little Red. He is fully authorized to paddle your butt."

"I would actually pay to see that," Tony interjected. "Let me know if you need any help, Captain. I know all her best hiding places."

Natasha flipped Stark off and went back to Clint-watch on her tablet.

"I am certain that Agent Romanoff and I won't have any problems," Steve said in his warm baritone, earning him a beaming smile from Natasha.

"Can we please focus on something other than spanking Natasha?" That was from Bruce who was getting very frustrated with how things were going.

"Some of us were enjoying the discussion and the prospect," Tony smirked.

Fury rounded on Stark, "You know what Tony? You could use a little discipline from Captain America too. Cap? If these two get out of line, bend 'em over your knee. The rest of us won't interfere."

Steve was wondering not for the first time, what the hell he had gotten himself into.


	2. Cap to the Rescue

During the next round of arguments, Steve didn't actually spank Tony Stark but he did sit him back on his ass a bit. The Captain was far from a shrinking violet and not used to mouthy, insubordinate advisers making trouble on a mission. Tony was yelling but somehow couldn't come close to the strength of delivery in Steve's calm, authoritative voice. When an explosion unexpectedly rocked the ship, Steve's command of, "put on the suit", brooked no disobedience. Tony scurried off to comply.

Natasha, meanwhile was in the middle of a heap of shit of her own. With her foot trapped when she and Bruce fell several decks down as the lab exploded, she was trying desperately to calm him before his Hulk transformation completed. Banner was breathing like a bellows and his shirt was beginning to rip from the expansion of musculature that came with the Hulk.

"Bruce?" Natasha said hopefully. A deafening roar was the only reply she got. Desperation lent strength to her struggle as she managed to free her booted foot. Getting her feet under her, she hauled ass away from the sound of the enraged Hulk. From the sounds behind her, she wasn't running nearly fast enough. Dodging, ducking, vaulting, she could feel the hot breath of Banner's alter ego on her back. She had seconds to live, moments to act when a large blonde blur slammed into the Hulk and took him through a bulkhead. Thor. Thank the gods, literally. She curled up in a dark corner, still shaking and tried to catch her breath after her near death experience. She heard gunfire and explosions above her but couldn't quite rally just yet.

Fury's voice came over her comlink, "Agent Barton spotted on the detention level; anyone copy?"

Her hand shook as she activated the reply, "Agent Romanoff here. I copy." Shakily, she stood up and went off in search of her best friend before anyone else found him and killed him.

In his defense, Hawkeye was impaired when she found him. Loki's scepter spell, lack of sleep and food had made him useless in a fight. The fight between them was short, sweet and ended with him out cold at Black Widow's feet. She called for medical after determining she hadn't killed him, then vanished into the corridors to collect her thoughts and her emotions.

Captain America and Ironman had managed to restart the engine damaged by the explosion so the ship was no longer in danger of falling out of the sky. Tony headed down to make a few repairs to the Ironman suit after being pummeled by the blades on the ship's engine while Cap went on a brisk walk to process everything, mentally doing a head count of his team. Fury, Hill, Coulson were all accounted for. Tony was all right, if a little shaken. Banner had leaped from the ship onto a plane, god only knew where he was; Thor was also with Fury; Clint Barton was now in medical; where the hell was Romanoff?

He frowned and pivoted toward a stairwell heading down into the bowels of the ship in the direction that he'd seen her and Banner fall. He hoped to god she was in one piece.

Steve heard her before he found her. She was breathing heavily and sniffling; bent at the waist, hands on her knees, backed up against a wall behind some machinery.

"Agent Romanoff? Natasha?" Steve asked gently, approaching her slowly.

Green eyes that were haunted by recent events flicked upward to his face, then down again. "I'm fine," she whispered. She was not fine and they both knew it.

"Come here," Steve said softly, opening his arms and beckoning to her. His gesture was automatic. She looked terrified and shaken; it was all he could think to do for her.

She straightened and looked at him quizzically with eyes that were still watery. "Natasha…come to me." His voice was still mild but there was a thread of command in it.

Her face crumbled and she fell into his arms, trembling. Steve scooped her up, carried her to a weapons box and sat down with her on his lap, setting his shield down next to them. He stroked her hair and she tightened her grip around his neck. "It's all right; you're safe. It's all right."

In response she burst into tears and clung to him. Steve gathered her closer, holding her tightly and whispering soft platitudes to her. After a minute, she stopped shaking, straightened, let go of him and tried to pull away but he wouldn't let her.

"Talk to me." Steve's silky baritone was a balm to her jagged nerves but she wasn't quite in a cooperative mood yet.

"I'll be fine. Please let go of me." She was mortified at her behavior and wanted to get as far away from him as she could. When he didn't immediately release her, she thought about freeing herself but she'd have to hurt him to do it and somehow she didn't want to hurt him. He was simply too kind, too gentle.

"Natasha, we are a team. For what it's worth, it is my responsibility to see to the safety and to the needs of my team." Steve's gloved hand turned her face toward him.

When her eyes lifted to his, he continued, "This is just between us. I know you don't really need me or my help. We all have moments where it's too much. We all need to be able to lean on one another during those moments."

Her eyes searched his face wondering if he was for real. "I work alone mostly, Cap. I've never had a family, only the occasional friend. I'm used to handling things myself."

Steve smiled and fished an actual handkerchief out of his utility belt, handing it to her, "Natasha, back in my day there were very, very few women like yourself. Now I'm in your time and I am well aware that you don't need my help, my protection, or my lecturing. I am not here because I don't respect you or your abilities. I do respect them and I respect you. I am here because occasionally everyone needs to vent a little with some support."

She blushed, wiped her nose and eyes and looked directly into his glorious baby blues. "I don't want you to think I'm weak...Cap."

He laughed then. "Weak? Hardly. I think you are my teammate who was just very nearly killed by another teammate and who then had to incapacitate yet another teammate. That would shake anyone up."

"I'm sorry...sir," she stumbled over the title, "but you're not the one sniffling on their commander's lap."

"Natasha, there is no shame in any of this. I don't want you to feel scandalized or embarrassed. I told you this is just between us." Steve's voice held that firm commanding presence that he embodied. He made her feel safe. That in itself was a very new feeling for her.

She studied his face, his eyes; she wanted to believe him. Men in general always tried for an advantage with her, except Clint, Phil and maybe Fury. Yet here she was, completely isolated in the lower levels of a crippled ship with a man she probably couldn't take in one to one combat and he was being a perfect gentleman, sweet even.

"Okay," she finally said.

"Okay?" Steve echoed and gave her a little half hug before lifting her off his lap and onto her feet. He stood up, adjusted his shield and looked down at her. "Anytime you need me, Natasha, I will be there. I hope I can count on you for the same support."

As he started to leave, she put her hand on his arm, "Thanks, Cap. Just don't tell Tony, okay?"

"Anytime. And not a word to Stark. I promise." He was halfway down the corridor before her voice stopped him again.

"Cap? About what Fury said…," she blushed and looked at her boots.

Steve half turned back to her, "About spanking you?"

Her blush made her look much younger and fragile, "Yeah."

"According to Fury, if I spank you, I'd have to spank Stark and right now that might not be the best course of action for anyone. How about we save that situation for your birthday?" He winked at her and moved off. It wouldn't occur to him until later that he'd just had a long talk with a beautiful woman.

She shook her head. He couldn't possibly be real yet there he was. She felt very confused. She had never ever allowed anyone, not even Clint to comfort her like that. Somehow in the handsome Captain's arms, she'd felt secure, important; wanted. Wanting to belong, wanting to better herself had been the reason for joining S.H.I.E.L.D. Maybe this was the place for her after all.


	3. Shwarma & Stuff

Natasha went back to Medical to check on Clint. He was restrained but conscious and talking. It didn't take long for him to vent to her how helpless and abandoned he felt while under Loki's power. She released his restraints and helped him sit up. As they talked she was struck by the familiarity she and Clint had developed over their long association. What stuck out was that for some reason the security she always felt when around him was completely different from the safe feeling Captain Rogers had given her.

"Clint, I don't know how to explain it but you're going to like Captain America, um...Steve Rogers." Natasha informed her partner.

"I hope he can see past this shit I caused." Clint murmured, looked down at his hands.

"I know that he knows it's not your fault,' Natasha affirmed.

"So Fury actually told him to spank you and Stark?" Clint chuckled.

Her face colored a bit, "Well, yes, but Captain Rogers was quick to point out that he thought we'd get along just fine."

"Well, if he actually does it, I will buy him a steak dinner because he's a braver man than I am." Clint laughed.

She punched him in the arm. "What the fuck, Clint?"

He ruffled her hair, "I'm teasing you, Nat. Mostly because I think you kind of like our new commander."

To his utter surprise, her eyes became teary, "What's going on?"

"After Banner...shifted...I couldn't…," she started.

Clint reached out and grasped her arm gently, "Nat? What happened?"

"Banner nearly killed me. If it hadn't been for Thor, I couldn't have made it out of the hull."

"And…?" Clint prompted.

"After I decked you, I had to take a minute, you know, get my shit together. And Captain Rogers showed up."

Clint frowned, "What happened?"

"Nothing, Clint. He was absolutely kind and sweet even. He just wanted to make certain I was okay. I've never felt so safe before; he really does care what happened to us. All of us." Natasha finished and watched Clint for his reaction.

"Wow, Nat." Clint said. "I'm impressed with him already if he made you feel safe. That's quite an accomplishment. I'm sure I'm gonna like him too." He moved off to the bathroom and shut the door.

Natasha leaned against the built in drawers and waited for him to come out. A scant minute later the pneumatic door slid open to reveal none other than the Captain himself.

"Time to go," Steve said.

"Where?"

"I'll tell you on the way. Can you fly one of those jets?" He asked her.

Clint stepped out of the bathroom in time to hear that part, "I can."

Steve looked at him, then at Natasha, who nodded her head, then back to Clint. "You have a suit?"

"Yeah," Clint responded.

"Suit up and meet me in the hanger," Steve withdrew from the doorway.

Natasha blinked. She'd known him for less than a day and he had just looked to her for acknowledgment that Clint was trustworthy to fly the jet. It felt so effortlessly comfortable; like he trusted her already. No one trusted her 100% but he just did. She felt vaguely bad about wanting to tease and irritate him as a distraction for her frustration. He had been nothing but genuinely kind to her, offering her his help, giving her his trust and she'd been pretty much a shit the whole morning.

She and Clint fell in step behind Steve as they headed for one of the quinjets. As they boarded, one of the junior agents popped up to inform them they weren't authorized to be there.

"Son...just don't." Steve said in a tone that raised Nat's and Clint's eyebrows. The poor kid paled and got the hell out of their way. Soon they were flying down to New York City.

Everyone worked together flawlessly. Even Tony Stark acknowledged Steve's de facto leadership, "Call it, Captain!"

Steve gave his orders and everyone instantly obeyed. To her surprise, he kept Natasha with him on the ground to fight the Chitauri head on. Again, he amazed her with his trust. That he would watch her back was a given as her commander but he put his life directly into her hands without question or hesitation. It was enough to boggle her mind and began a thaw in her cold Russian heart.

"If you want to get up there you're gonna need a ride." Steve scanned the skies above himself and Natasha.

"Oh, I can get a ride," Natasha assured him, pointing upwards. "Give me a boost, Cap?"

He looked at her and realized what she was intending, "You sure about this?"

"Sure," she said, licking the cut on her lower lip, "It'll be fun."

Steve tipped his shield and braced for her weight. She bolted across the road, leaped up onto the hood of a cab and double-footed onto his shield. Instantly, he threw her hard and high. She spring boarded off his shield grabbing onto one of the alien chariots racing through the skies of New York City. He'd never seen anyone as beautiful or brave as she disappeared down the corridor of buildings, high in the air.

After retrieving Loki's scepter, Natasha positioned herself to close the portal from which the Chitauri army was still pouring. Ironman, aka Tony Stark was still delivering a nuke released by their own government to the aliens; and nowhere to be seen. "I can close it!," she yelled through the comlink. "I can close the portal!"

"No, wait!" Stark yelled back, "I'm almost there!" Tony's delivery of the warhead to the aliens would save the city. It was worth the wait.

"Cap?" Natasha waited for his command.

There was a silence measured in the space of heartbeats as everyone waited. Steve was mentally counting down the seconds from when Tony last spoke and the amount of Chitauri still streaming through. Suddenly all the chariots, all the chitin-clad soldiers and the giant centipede ship all dropped like puppets whose strings had been cut.

Still no Tony though.

Thor was next to the Captain, watching him and the play of emotions on his face. It was a moment anyone who had ever been in command during a war dreaded: Whether to sacrifice one to save many. He was aware there was no love lost between Stark and Rogers so it should have been an easy decision. Obviously, by the look on Steve's face it wasn't.

"Come on, Tony," Steve murmured, mostly to himself.

Seconds dragged by. Steve drew a heavy breath and activated his comlink. "Close it." The pain on his face was glaringly evident. Thor's respect for the human commander grew.

Natasha turned the scepter instantly. As the hole in the sky began to collapse on itself, a small gold glinting figure fell through. The hole sealed behind Tony's exit.

Thor and Steve recognized the danger instantly. "He's not slowing down," Thor said, whirling his hammer in preparation for flight.

Out of nowhere, the Hulk bounded in, catching Stark's limp form and bringing him down to street level where Steve and Thor waited. Giant green hands deposited the Ironman gently onto the pavement. Steve removed the gold face plate to reveal Tony's pale face, eyes closed and unresponsive.

There were a few seconds of terror for Steve, Hawkeye and Thor that Tony was actually dead. The Hulk was pacing nearby and bellowed out of frustration. Whether it was the noise or the vibration, no one could tell but Tony's eyes snapped open.

"What the hell?" He looked around wildly for a moment. "Please tell me nobody kissed me."

Everyone laughed in relief. Steve reached out and shook Tony's shoulder. "Glad you're all right, Tony. You had me worried there for a minute."

Tony searched Steve's face with his eyes, "Really?"

"Really." Steve said, nodding.

Tony sat up and to his surprise, Steve reached over to give him a quick hug. "Please don't do anything like that again. I can't afford to lose any one of you." Steve's rich baritone held a wealth of reprimand and genuine warmth.

Thor reached down to grab Steve's shoulder. Steve stood to look the blonde giant in the eye. Thor pulled him in for a quick hug as well.

"I will follow you, Captain; into battle or into Valhalla."

Steve was genuinely moved, "Thank you, Thor. I am very honored." He meant it.

The Hulk clumsily patted Steve on the back, nearly knocking him back down to the pavement. "Thanks, Dr. Banner. We couldn't have done it without your help." Steve's gratitude was genuine.

Tony shakily got to his feet, "There's a shawarma place down the street from here. I think we've all earned a little fun, right? I've always wanted to try it. You guys with me?"

"We are not finished yet, Tony." Steve's deep voice was rough as he looked up to Stark Tower.

When they all converged on Tony's home, they found a very obsequious Loki, battered and beaten by the Hulk. Thor took him into custody immediately as well as containing the Tessaract in an Asgardian box, with Steve's and Fury's approval.

Tony insisted on dragging everyone out for shawarma. He paid, of course. They all sat together tiredly munching on their meals. "So, Cap...I'm sorry I worried you."

Steve looked up, "It's fine, Tony. You did a good thing. Just don't make a habit out of nearly getting yourself killed, okay?"

"Or…?" Tony pushed.

"Or...what?" Steve frowned at him.

"So, you're not going to do what Fury said?" Tony pressed on.

"Spank you?" Steve was incredulous. "Tony, you're a grown man. Do you really want me to put you over my knee?"

Tony looked a little crestfallen and played with his french fries. Everyone stared at him. "No...I...it's just nice to know you care, I guess."

"He said he'd spank me on my birthday." Natasha piped up around a mouthful of shawarma.

Steve colored at her announcement. She winked at him and nudged his foot under the table. Tony looked shocked. "Oh, I see. It's okay to spank her but not me? Is that it? Is she your favorite now?"

Everyone nearly choked on their food. Steve wondered again what the hell he was thinking when he decided to take Fury up on his offer. He could have just quietly retired to the country, visited Peggy in England; lots of options were open to him.

Bruce had reverted back to his human form. He and Hawkeye were coughing shards of pita out of their throats. Thor managed to get control of the shawarma that threatened to lodge itself in his windpipe. "I believe Captain Rogers has had a full day. If we were in Asgard I would send a dozen maidens to bathe him and to see to his comfort. Skoll!" He toasted them all with his root beer.

Steve's blush crept further up his neck. He looked around the table and realized they were all smiling at him. It occurred to him then that they were teasing him; welcoming him into their fold as one of their own.

"Great job today, Cap." Tony toasted him with his drink. "Welcome to the family."

"To Cap!" Everyone echoed and saluted him. Steve was wildly embarrassed but pleased that they all seemed to be accepting of him.

"You guys did all the hard work. I just directed traffic." Steve said smiling. Natasha leaned over and kissed him gently on his cheek. It tingled where her lips touched him. He looked up into her very green eyes as she returned his smile. The Avengers Initiative was a success.


	4. Taken by The Shield

A year later at his apartment after he'd shed his Captain America uniform, Steve showered and changed into some sweat pants and a t-shirt after a particularly grueling mission with Natasha. He wandered into his kitchen for a snack. His enhanced metabolism was four times faster than the average human. He needed to refuel frequently and the breakfast he'd had hours ago had worn off.

"You really have a great ass," Natasha's voice spun him around.

"Natasha!" Steve resisted the urge to clutch at his chest. If it were possible for him to have a heart attack, this would have been a good time. "Did you pick my lock again?"

"Trade secret." She had also showered, changed and was holding a rather large bag of food from the delicious odors which were wafting his way. She looked cute in tight black leggings, Uggs and a blue t-shirt with an emblem of his shield on it. It pleased him more than it should have to see her in 'his' colors.

"I figured you would be hungry and thought I'd bring you something substantial to eat." She sashayed over to his table and plunked the bag down. "Steak, baked potato, broccoli, salad, and a French silk pie...for two, if you want company."

He was more tired than he'd ever been in his life but the opportunity to spend time with Natasha was always welcome. "I would like that very much Nat." They'd been spending a lot of time together off the clock for the past year, getting to know each other, superficially at least. She had been the friend he'd needed. Once in awhile she surprised him by showing up unannounced. Tonight was one of those nights.

"Sorry about the breaking and entering. I like to surprise people."

"Mission accomplished," Steve said as he moved to retrieve utensils from a drawer.

"You're not mad, are you?" She stopped putting the food out and looked into his baby blue eyes.

"No, not at all. You're always a nice surprise, Natasha. Thank you." He pulled out her chair gallantly.

"Why thank you," Natasha sat and he scooted her in. "I've been meaning to ask, when they defrosted you they just set you loose? No backup, no help?" They hadn't really hit on his time in the ice and re-entry into the world yet. Now, seemed like an opportune time to solve at least one Steve Rogers mystery. The way she put it made it sound harsher than it actually was. "No, Fury offered to get me involved with a lot of projects but I really wanted to take some time to acclimate to this time frame. We've been so busy, I'm not doing such a great job with the acclimation."

"That's because you haven't had a proper guide," she said around a small tomato she popped into her mouth.

"Everyone I knew is literally dead or really, really old." Steve said with a trace of sadness in his voice before spearing a piece of steak.

"I'm sorry, Steve." Natasha stopped eating and laid her hand gently on his arm.

Her touch sent electric tingles up his arm. "It's fine. I just have to get my feet under me, take time to make some friends; I'll be all right." His words said one thing, his tone said another. He sounded lost and a little lonely even after a year in the Avengers.

Natasha picked at her food while he spoke. She continued thinking as they ate. This wasn't right. The man was an honest to god national hero in 1945 and in the present day. During the invasion of New York, Steve's first orders were to protect and evacuate the civilians in the area. In the midst of an alien-fucking-invasion, his first instinct was to ensure the protection of the most vulnerable people around him. He deserved better than he was getting.

"How about I take you around, show you some things which have changed while you've been asleep. I can also go with you if there is anywhere you want to go."

Steve looked bewildered. Natasha had never been this open or accommodating. "You're offering to be a tour guide?"

"I'm offering as your friend." Natasha said, flatly. There was no teasing in her tone. She reached over and took his hand. "It's not a directive, Steve. You're not a project or a mission or a mark. I like you, you like me. We'll have fun." He looked like he needed some fun in his life.

"What about Barton?" Steve looked into her eyes but still couldn't read her after all this time. He couldn't interpret her relationship.

"Clint and I are best friends. That's all we've ever been. Besides, I'm a big girl and don't need permission as to who I want to hang out with. I thought you'd figured that out by now." Her sultry tone sent a thrill down his spine.

Steve wiped his mouth with his napkin, "Everything is just so different, especially the people. I don't know the current niceties of starting a friendship, how to meet people, dating morals..." He blushed a little at that. "I know I am old fashioned, even for my time. I was raised to be a gentleman and I just can't shake that. I've tried to do what's right my whole life even when it got me beat up...before the serum."

Natasha waited patiently as he spoke. It was the most he'd ever disclosed about his pre-serum days and she didn't want to interrupt him. She stayed attentive and kept her hand in his as he finished eating. "Anyway, I've never really had a chance to do anything everyone else has intrinsically learned along the way." He met her cool green gaze with a weak smile.

"Would you like to?" She asked mildly.

"Learn? Yes, I would very much." Steve said.

"Well, all right then." Natasha smiled as if she'd been waiting forever for him to ask the right question. She pushed back from the table, walked to his chair and plunked herself on his lap. "Lesson one," she said before taking his face in her hands and bestowing a gentle, lingering kiss on his mouth. Steve's mind spun as he wondered where to put his hands. She flicked her tongue across his lips and he opened them in surprise, accepting her ministrations as she softly plundered his mouth. He finally settled on gathering her in his arms and holding her tightly to his chest.

"Mmmmm," she hummed against his mouth and twisted in his arms so that she was straddling him. She pressed her core against his groin and rocked into him, deepening her kiss as he hardened beneath her.

Pleasure, panic, surprise, elation, all flooded through Steve's mind which was currently short circuiting from the stimulation she was providing. This was nothing like Peggy's kiss in the speeding car; nothing like the smooch Lorraine, the blonde clerk had given him. Those were sweet, almost tentative kisses. Natasha's kiss was wild, untamed, dark, deep red compared to the petal pink of the only other two women he'd kissed.

When they came up for air, Steve dimly became aware that one of his hands was knotted in her hair and the other was cupping her ass, pressing her against his erection. He couldn't explain anything away, she was literally pressed up against his cock. Blue eyes met green.

"Natasha..." her name sounded like a prayer falling from his lips.

"Mmmm hmmmm?" She responded, kissing him on the nose.

"I...I.." he stammered and blushed; afraid she'd be offended by his traitorous body which was currently draining the blood from his brain to fill his already tight groin.

She grinned and looked down between them. He hadn't bothered to put on boxers under his sweats so there was nothing holding his length in check except for a tent of soft fleece. "Why Captain Rogers, that is quite a compliment."

Steve looked panicked for a brief second then relaxed, realizing she was not at all offended but sounded rather pleased. "Really?"

"Oh, Yeah," she nodded and squirmed a bit more on his lap.

He caught her hips with both hands to hold her still, "Natasha, wait..."

"Do you want me to go slower? Do you want me to touch you? Do you want me to take my clothes off?" Her grin was sexy and mischievous as she peppered him with questions he wasn't ready to answer.

"Natasha...I can't imagine taking advantage of you." Steve hoped he really didn't sound as stupid as he sounded to himself.

"Cap...Steve, I'm practically riding you now. You are hardly damaging my virtue. You said you wanted to know how to have a relationship. I'm showing you how." Natasha blew hot air gently into his ear and pulled his hand up from her hip to her breast.

Steve groaned as she kept her hand over his and pushed his thumb over her nipple. He caught her mouth in a desperate kiss. He stood up, taking her with him, still wrapped around his waist like a monkey and moved to the couch. With infinite tenderness, he lay her down then stretched out beside her. She shifted and wrapped her leg over his hip, forcing his pelvis closer. He couldn't have hidden his desire if he tried. It was right there, pressing into her lower abdomen.

"I've thought about you from the moment I met you on the helicarrier deck." At his raised eyebrows, she added, "However, we can slow this down if you want to. I don't want to force myself on you."

Steve's mind was trying to process everything. Besides being more turned on than he ever had been in his life, he was flabbergasted that this beautiful exciting femme fatale wanted him. He'd seen plenty of Bucky's antics back in the day with various girls. The women flung themselves at his handsome friend but never at him. He wasn't an idiot. He knew what sex was, knew the basic mechanics but had no idea how to go about putting them into action. Natasha was handling him perfectly; torquing him up but making him feel secure as well. Every place he touched her made her breathless responses sweeter. He couldn't believe that he was making a woman, particularly one known for her specific skill set moan and press against him like she couldn't get enough.

"Force?" He echoed her and looked her straight in the eyes. Reaching up, he tucked an errant curl behind her ear. "Sweetheart, I don't want to take anything from you that I don't deserve yet."

Natasha searched his face and found only tender concern there. His shift from 'Romanoff' to 'Natasha' over the past year and now to 'Sweetheart' made her wonder just how romanticized he was about the whole concept of relationships and sex.

She frowned a little, "Steve, I'm not a virgin."

He reddened slightly, took a breath and decided to tell her his final embarrassing truth. "But I am."

"Wait, you're now in this body and you've never…?"

"I guess I'm a little psychologically and emotionally tied to the way I used to look," he admitted.

She pushed back from him a little and looked at him, "Steve, I've been around you almost daily for over a year. Whatever was in that super soldier serum didn't make you the man you already were. If you were here, back in your pre-serum form? I would still totally take you to bed based on what I know about you as a man."

"Dr. Erskine said it would make good better and bad worse." Steve told her.

"Well, he was right. Whatever you think you were before, you still are. It's just packaged differently is all."

Steve turned all that over in his mind. The thought of a rare beauty like Natasha wanting him under any circumstances was still not sinking in. The thought that she would want to be lying here on Skinny Steve's couch like this...then he realized. He was still Skinny Steve. He still believed that a beautiful woman couldn't possibly want him or now would want him for the wrong reasons. Somehow he didn't think Natasha was that nefarious. She seemed to enjoy him and his company.

"Really? Do you mean that?" Steve's ocean blue eyes bored into hers.

"Every word. What makes you desirable and sexy isn't just the outside, Steve. There are far too few men like you in any century. I'm glad that we became friends, that I am on your team and that you find me attractive." Natasha admitted.

"My god, how could I not?" Steve said as he reached up to stroke her cheek. "You are smart, fearless, loyal and incomparably beautiful."

It was Natasha's turn to blush under his praise. "Why thank you, Cap."

He leaned in to kiss her. Gathering her in his arms and pressing his entire body against hers. He wanted to show her how beautiful she was; how sweet, how utterly desirable. Natasha's hand skated down his chest, his stomach and to the waistband of his sweats. When he felt her searching fingers dip lower, he pulled back a little.

"Wait..." He was panting and fighting not to thrust at her touch.

"I have an idea," she announced, wriggling away from him. He needed a break or this was going to end too soon. "Let's put the food away then give me a couple of minutes and meet me in your bedroom." She bounced up and went into the kitchen. Steve lay there with his arm over his eyes trying to get his breathing and body under control. He peeked out and watched her as she located the cling wrap and swiftly placed everything in the refrigerator. Glancing over at him she could see his eyes watching her. She blew him a kiss and skittered off up the hallway.

As he padded up the hallway after her, he wondered what she had planned as the next shock to his system. When he reached his doorway he found out. Natasha had divested herself of all her clothes and was lying naked on his bed. "Come here, handsome," she purred.


	5. Lessons in Love

Steve was incapable of speech at the moment. Watching her stretch luxuriously on the bedspread was extraordinary. Hard muscles rippled beneath creamy soft skin as she preened like a cat. She held out her hand and he came to her.

"Lesson number two," she pulled him down beside her. "You can keep your clothes on for as long as you like. Meanwhile, you may touch, taste, feel or explore anything you want. I want to make certain your curiosity is completely satisfied."

He was glad he was sitting down because what little blood remained above his waistline was fighting to evacuate to his more primal regions. "Okay," he said as he swallowed heavily.

Over the next hour, Natasha gave him a thorough lesson in " _Our Bodies, Ourselves_." By the time they were done, Steve was even more turned on. He felt like his entire body was hard, just waiting to shatter at her touch.

She urged him to lay down next to her and pushed his shirt up. "I'd like to lay against your chest, skin to skin if that's all right."

Steve half sat up and pulled his shirt over his head, "I think I'd like that too."

Natasha lay diagonally across him. She deliberately kept their pelvic regions apart as she settled against him and listened to the powerful thud of his heartbeat. Steve's arms encircled the parts he could reach and held her tightly. Feeling her breasts against his chest and her breathing in sync with his took his flights of fancy to new heights. Softly he kissed the top of her head and stroked her hair.

"I wanted this moment to be with someone special...and it is." Steve whispered to her.

She pushed up to look at him, "Steve, the first time is something you remember forever. If you are happy with it being me then I'm glad. I'm honored that you are allowing me to share this with you."

He pulled her up to kiss her and Natasha shifted in his arms, straddling him again, this time right behind his erection. She eased her hand down and gently freed him from the sweat pants. Steve gave a sharp intake of breath as she encircled his length with her hand.

"You okay?" She asked while gently stroking him.

"Yes," Steve managed to choke out.

"Ready to do this?"

"Shouldn't I be on top?" Steve asked.

"It doesn't matter, it's good a number of ways. This is your fantasy; how do you want to do it?" She grinned and let go of him.

He frowned slightly, taking a moment to admire the view of her sitting on his pelvis. Then he lifted her and lay her down on the bed. He stripped off his sweat pants and settled against her. She opened her legs a little and moved his hand down to her springy curls. With her guidance he could feel her welcoming wet opening. He pushed himself up on his arms and positioned himself over her, already trembling and breathing hard.

"Are you really sure about this, Sweetheart?" The look he gave her was one of unadulterated arousal and a thousand questions flitted through his blue, blue eyes.

He wouldn't be Steve if he didn't give her the out first. His sense of chivalry demanded it even while she was open and ready beneath him and aching for his touch. If she said 'no', he would stop no matter what it cost him personally. Natasha reached down and took him in hand again, pulling his lips to hers with her other arm as she guided him inside, "Mmmm hmmm, so certain."

Steve closed his eyes against the sensation of entering her inch by slow inch while she kissed him deeply. She was hot, wet, welcoming and very pleased by the sounds she was making.

"Oh god, Natasha..." he managed as he gave her his final fraction and filled her. In response, she wrapped her legs around his hips, pulling him in tighter and wriggled against him.

Sensations exploded through him as he felt her clench tighter around him. He hadn't moved yet and she was making him nearly black out.

"Come on, Steve," she urged him, "You won't hurt me."

Slowly he pulled back then pushed in again. As his body moved from hers he felt bereft then filling her again was the most amazing thing he'd ever felt. She pushed her pelvis up to meet each thrust and he very quickly fell into the rhythm she set. Slow. Hard. Steady.

"Look at where we are joined," She panted.

He obeyed her and nearly lost it watching his body moving in and out of hers. "God, Nat..." He was trembling from the over stimulation.

"Steve, you seriously won't hurt me. Do what you need to do. I am here for you, understand?" She grabbed his hair and forced him to look at her.

He kissed her; he had to. His tongue matched the thrusts of his hips, penetrating her in both ways. He knew he couldn't last long. When she dropped her hands to his ass urging him into her, he lost what little control he had. One deep thrust, then another, his hips flexing of their own accord and went over the precipice. He poured into her, whispering her name like an answered prayer. "Natasha..."

She cradled him to her, keeping him inside her and kissing his mouth, gently. "Don't move. I like feeling you on me and inside me."

"Did you…?" he fretted, fairly certain that she hadn't climaxed and it was because he has failed her somehow.

"No, but that's not why we're here. You did everything just perfectly. Give it a few minutes and we can do it again together." She smiled at him and kissed him tenderly. There was no way she would damage his confidence now. Her pleasure could wait till round two.

He had a look of consternation on his face, "Show me how to touch you, please."

"Only if you don't move." Natasha reached down and guided his hand to her. After her show and tell and remembering Bucky's rather crude prior instructions from years ago, Steve quickly found her little bud and the soft folds beneath it where he was lodged. He watched her face as he pleasured her. Felt her orgasm as she clenched around him and kissed her gasps away. He wanted more of that. He wanted to make her climax while he was inside her; hopefully together. Just the thought made him begin to harden again.

"Wow, you've got a great recovery time." Natasha brought his mouth up to hers. By the time he was fully hard she was panting and squirming under him. She got a knee in his ribs and in a surprising show of strength, flipped him on his back.

"Now, I'm going to show you this way," She smiled and leaned down to kiss him as she began a slow, steady ride.

He reached up to touch her breasts, down to grip her hips and never took his eyes off her face. She was glorious. Her hair was back lit by the room light, giving her a fiery halo. Creamy skin which almost glowed, breasts and an ass that fit his hands perfectly. He fit inside her like he was made to be there. This entire experience exceeded every fantasy he'd had. It was perfect. She was perfect. Natasha was everything he could have ever hoped for.

Rocking her pelvis into him, she had to kiss him again and again. She liked it when he grabbed her hips, thrusting up into her. She could see he enjoyed giving as well as receiving. It surprised her though when he sat up, pulled her tight against him and rolled her onto her back. He already learned that steady, even thrusts were more productive for both of them. With the edge off, he was able to maintain control more and assure that her climax came ahead of his. He rode her, enjoying the friction and suction of her canal, pulling him in deeper as he arched back and came at the apex of a thrust.

Afterwards, they lay together, limbs intertwined. When she looked into his eyes she was surprised to find them bright with unshed tears. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Overthinking things, I suppose." Steve's voice was rougher than usual. It was unsettling.

"Steve, that was wonderful. You were wonderful. Wasn't it good for you?"

"It was the most perfect moment of my life," he said earnestly.

"But..." Natasha said.

"I just thought..."

"You thought it would be with a woman you loved?" She asked it as gently as she could, hoping he wasn't wishing for a chance long past with Peggy.

Steve shook his head, "You don't understand. I am falling for you. I just don't know how to keep you. I know that is ridiculous and old fashioned but after sharing tonight with you, I want this to work with us. Not just as work partners, Nat."

That surprised her. "Steve, you are awfully hard NOT to fall for. I told you I'm here because I do like you. Let's just take things as they come and see where it goes, okay? I'm not going anywhere. There are no other men in my life. This IS special between us. Never for a second think that this was just a pity fuck."

He winced at her usage of the word 'fuck'. "I hope that it could lead to something more."

"Honestly, Steve, you are the sweetest man I've ever met. My heart is pretty jaded but you are welcome to it, whatever that means. I will treasure however long you want me in your life and I will leave when I see that I am no longer of interest or use to you."

"Nat, please don't say that. I really can't imagine you not being in my life. Especially not now." Steve was a complete hopeless romantic, she realized. Natasha felt a brief, unreasonable surge of fury toward Agent Peggy Carter. The least the woman could have done was take him to bed before he crashed into that ice. He had been vulnerable and sweet to begin with. Peggy had known him in his 'before' state yet still left him hanging with a single kiss, knowing how he felt about her.

"Just so you know, despite my reputation, I have never in my life slept with a coworker; especially not a superior officer." Natasha wanted him to know that he really was special in so many ways to her. No matter what else ever came of it, he needed to know that he alone stood out and was important to somebody besides as a hero.

"Thank you for saying so but I tend to draw my own conclusions and not listen to rumors about reputations," Steve said, pulling her back into his embrace. "I would have never entertained anything like this with anyone else. I'm glad we are here together tonight."

Natasha held him closely and did some quick mental mathematics. He'd only been out of the ice for a little over a year. That meant that all his losses: Peggy, Bucky, Erskine; the entire Howling Commandos; his entire life had disappeared for him barely a year ago. He'd been asleep and had not mourned any of them until the day he was revived. Worse, he'd had no one to turn to for comfort or just a friendly ear except for her visits and their missions. It thawed her heart. No wonder he was so unsure and uncertain...so worried about losing her after what they'd just shared. She had completely underestimated his vulnerability when she shouldn't have. At least part of his sadness and disconnect was her fault. As his friend, she should have seen it. "Want to get under the covers?" Natasha asked as she stroked his hair.

Steve looked up at her, "Are you leaving?"

"No, Steve, I'm not leaving." She pulled away and got up to turn off the room light. She turned around to see him turning down the bed for them.

As they snuggled down together, Natasha decided she would protect Steve from anyone who would use him to their own ends. The spy was back on the job with the most important project she'd ever had. He needed a friend and a lover; now he had both.


	6. Love & A Birthday Spanking

Vulnerability isn't a display of weakness. It is an endearing quality that some people stuff away and not allow anyone to view. People like herself. Natasha woke before Steve to find she was tucked up securely against his powerful frame. He was curled around her protectively, a shelter for her to feel secure and safe in. His soft breath was warm on her neck. As she gently extricated herself from his arms, he rolled onto his back completely open and guileless as he slept.

She quickly dressed and looked around for something to write a note on. A drawer in his desk rewarded her with a sketch book. Flipping through it she was amazed at his talent. Who knew that America's Golden Boy was an artist? Not wanting to rip a page out of his hard work, she rummaged around until she found a note pad.

'Back soon. Always, N.'

She left it on the kitchen table where she hoped he'd find it and scooted out the door. Her apartment wasn't too far from his and it was still early so there was little traffic on the streets. Getting back into her home surrounded her with a familiar feeling of comfort. This was her haven, her quiet place. Even Clint had never been here. She quickly showered, dried her hair, put a minimum of makeup on and got dressed into a pair of slinky skinny jeans, a scarlet top that hugged her curves and displayed her assets via the draped v-neck to their best advantage. Sitting on the edge of her bed she slid on a pair of black leather knee high boots with no heel. Looking at her reflection in the full length mirror, she decided she looked acceptable.

On the way back to Steve's apartment, she stopped and ordered two breakfasts and coffees. He liked his black, she chose a flat white with a pump of vanilla for herself. Getting back in to the apartment was no problem for the spy. She balanced the bag on her hip and reached for her lock pick when the door swung open. Steve stood there in jeans and a white tank, barefoot. He smiled and took the bag from her then swooped her up in his other arm and kissed her thoroughly.

Natasha squirmed in his embrace when he let her come up for air. "I brought breakfast. Lemme go, I'm starving."

He set her down and she booted the door shut with her foot. Grabbing his free hand she pulled him into the kitchen. When they got there, he set the bag down then wrapped her in his arms, pulling her back against his chest. "Coffee cups." she murmured in her smoky voice, hugging his arms as they wrapped around her waist.

"That cabinet," Steve's deep baritone sent shivers down her spine.

She pulled away and reached up for the cabinet door then yelped in surprise as he grabbed her hips and lifted her up, turned her and sat her on the counter. Even sitting up high she was smaller than he was.

Steve bent his head and bestowed a soft, sweet kiss that was as gentle as it was demanding. "When I woke up and you were gone..."

"You thought I'd left?" Natasha offered.

"Then I found your note." He nodded in response. "Thank you for coming back, Nat."

She took his face gently in her hands, lifting his eyes to hers. "Hey, I told you I wasn't going anywhere, remember?"

"Yeah," he said in his delightful Brooklyn accent.

Turning in his arms she retrieved two coffee cups complete with saucers. She made a mental note to buy him some mugs. Pushing him back gently she hopped down from the counter and busied herself pouring the coffee and setting out the waffles and bacon she'd bought.

Steve pulled her chair out for her once again and she smiled at his graciousness. It pleased him to do little things for her so why not enjoy it.

They chatted as they ate. Natasha interjected as many amusing stories into the meal as she could. A spy's life was full of surprises. Not all of them dire and not all of them terrible. Steve didn't have enough joy in his life. As crappy as most of her life had been there were happy and even joyful moments in it. She kept him smiling and even laughing through breakfast.

When she took him to bed for a little early afternoon delight, she made sure that was joyous and fun as well. Steve was a little scandalized at first, sex in broad daylight was not something he'd considered. Having Natasha to introduce him to the wonders of the flesh was an incredible experience.

Afterward she took him horseback riding in Central Park. They rode, stopped for hot dogs and at her insistence had an impromptu dance by a street quartet. Steve felt a little awkward and clumsy but she did all the work, spinning around him and finishing with a dramatic dip in his arms. Joy. It was the only thing she could give him besides her body. If he wanted her heart, he could have it but she wasn't sure it was much of a prize.

She liked his casual look. He had a plethora of plaid shirts, khaki trousers; his old dress uniform complete with his Captain's bars and medals was stored in the back of his closet. Leather jackets, blue jeans and comfortable shoes and boots made up the rest of his wardrobe. Even without the Captain America uniform he was handsome and dynamic. Being desired by men was something she was very used to. Being desired by this particular man was something very special.

Over time, Steve's natural humor and wit had begun to reassert itself. Natasha laughed at his jokes and stories and seemed delighted to spend time with him in or out of bed. An adult sexual relationship was completely new to him but so was having a real friend who happened to be a woman and he'd handled that okay. He seemed to have a type: strong, independent, fearless and beautiful. Natasha checked all the boxes that Peggy had with the exception that Natasha saw him as a man. Peggy had seen him as an awkward kid and as a science project. He felt the difference in romanticizing Peggy's time with him and her kiss as opposed to Natasha's determination to make him rejoin the world of the living with her passion.

She excused herself for a few minutes to take a phone call. Steve took the moment to look around at the brave new world he was now willing to be a part of. He wanted to keep this thing, whatever it was they had just between the two of them for awhile longer but that hope was dashed when she came strolling back to him with a mischievous grin on her face. "Party tonight at Tony and Pepper's. The whole gang will be there. We should go. Team building and all that."

"What's the occasion?"

"My birthday!" She took his proffered arm and guided him to the Central Park Zoo.

Steve's mind was a whirl. "Why didn't you tell me it was your birthday?"

"It's not important," She said, trying to brush it off. "I try to hide out every year but somehow Tony and Pepper always remember and make it a big thing. They love making everything over-sized and flamboyant."

"It is important." He stopped and turned to her, taking her by the shoulders. "Natasha, everything about you is important to me. Of course I want to know when your birthday is, or any other day that is special to you."

She looked up at him, squinting a bit in the bright autumn sunlight. His eyes were a shade of blue unlike anything she'd ever seen. Much like the man who held her now: Unique, one of a kind. "Steve, when you're raised like I was, the only thing birthdays were good for was a reminder that you'd survived another year. It really isn't a big thing for me. It just makes Tony and Pepper and the rest of the gang happy to do something for me. They do it for each of us."

Steve pulled her close, "I'm so sorry you had to live like that. I wish I could make it better for you; take away some of the bad memories."

She hugged him back. "You already are."

That seemed to please him. He tucked her under his shoulder as they walked. A tall, powerful, handsome presence with protective instincts on overdrive. She allowed it, knowing now how much it was important to him to feel as though he were needed. He belonged on a battlefield where his size, strength and skill were a benefit to his troops. Outside of wars, missions and crises, Steve felt he had no purpose. She let him feel like he had one with her. It was such a little thing to do.

"Do we need to change or bring anything to your party?" Steve asked suddenly.

"Nope. Just us. And we're fine just like we are. This is casual."

They stopped for coffee at a shop. The line was long so Steve handed her some money – he insisted – and left her to purchase their drinks. While she was busy navigating the line, he hustled to a jeweler he noticed down the street. He didn't want her to not have a gift from him on her birthday. Minutes later, her gift wrapped and secure in his inside jacket pocket, he waited for her on the sidewalk.

They walked, drank their coffee and chatted. It was amazing to her how naturally comfortable she felt around him. She felt no stress, no anxiety that he was judging her. It had literally taken years for her to fully trust Clint and he had saved her life. To a spy used to trusting no one, Steve just seemed to radiate truth and security, to her at least.

Natasha hailed a cab to take them to Stark Tower. When they arrived, JARVIS opened the door at her voice command. They entered and took the elevators up to Tony and Pepper's apartment. The music wasn't on deafening so people could actually converse. At their arrival everyone came to hug Natasha and welcome Steve to the festivities.

First was dinner. Pepper had pulled out all the stops and had a great Mexican spread for all of them. Clint joked about only being able to eat tacos and barbecue with friends since he was managing to get it all over himself. Bruce had made his special guacamole which was rapidly disappearing from everyone's plates. Thor showed up with his long blonde hair tied back in a loose ponytail. He brought some Asgardian ale that got passed around with a warning not to drink too much of it. Steve tried it and found that like most alcohol, it just couldn't affect him anymore.

After dinner, Tony insisted on Natasha opening presents. Clint gave her an arrow symbol on a necklace. Thor gave her an Asgardian sword which she could barely lift. Bruce handed her his gift, a wooden bear beautifully carved out of larch wood. Tony and Pepper gave her a karaoke machine much to the delight of all. Steve shyly handed her his gift. Natasha opened the small box to find a pair of exquisite gold and ruby earrings.

"Steve!" She was breathless that he had thought of her and bought her such a beautiful and obviously expensive gift. "They're beautiful! I can't thank you enough!" She reached up to kiss him on the cheek. It wouldn't do to give everyone a show. When she caught his eye, she gave him a wink that promised a lot more thanks in the future. She put them on and they sparkled through her red hair. He was beaming, delighted that she loved his present to her.

Karaoke was next. Steve became more relaxed as the evening progressed. They were all there for Natasha but he felt very included in their fun and camaraderie. Natasha's singing voice was sultry, smoky and just plain sexy. He couldn't say the same for everyone else. When they handed him the mic, he tried to decline. Natasha urged him on. "Go ahead Steve, it's all in fun."

Pepper showed him how to select a song after he whispered to her. Steve managed to get through Nat King Cole's "Unforgettable", trying not to let his gaze linger too long on Natasha who was blushing furiously when his eyes did land on her. When he finished everyone applauded.

"Well, Capcicle, if you ever decide to give up Avenging for a living, I think we could get you some concert dates." Tony grinned and shook Steve's hand.

After everyone had a turn, Tony stood up. Pepper poked him in the side and shook her head but he ignored her and barged on. "So do we want cake next or Nat's birthday spanking next?"

Natasha turned several shades of pink and laughed her ass off, along with everyone else. Steve smiled and raised an eyebrow at her, his mouth quirking up at one corner. "Well, I did promise you a spanking for your birthday."

He looked like he might just carry through with that promise and Natasha gulped. The blue shirt he was wearing brought out his eyes. He'd rolled the sleeves up as he usually did, his muscular forearms in full view. The jeans he wore were tight enough to define his thighs and butt beautifully, as she'd noticed earlier. The boots he wore were soft and scuffed. He crooked his finger at her, beckoning her over and patted his thigh.

"Come here, honey. Let's get this over with." Steve's rich baritone held a thread of command and it made her shiver.

Everyone was in full scale hilarity mode, watching to see what Natasha would do while Steve waited patiently on the couch. Almost shyly, she locked eyes with him and slinked over to where he waited. He held out his hand to her, she took it and he gently pulled her down, bending her over his knee and pulling her waist securely against him with his other arm.

"I'd better be able to sit down after this," she whispered.

Leaning close, he responded, "Don't worry, I could never hurt you."

Natasha braced herself on the couch and looked up at him over her shoulder. Her voice was soft and smoky, "I've never been spanked before so this is a first." He gave her a brilliant smile, his eyes sparkling with fun.

She found herself trembling. In her life she had been beaten, tortured, humiliated; she'd had her emotions stripped raw but she had never been in the position she was in now. This tweaked a few issues about vulnerability she thought long buried. She trusted Steve so she forced herself to be still.

Steve's palm connected with her backside with a resounding 'POP', making her jump in surprise. The rest of the room started counting, 1...2...3…, as Natasha realized quickly he was cupping his hand to make the noise louder but not actually whaling on her. When he got to 29, he paused, "How old are you again?"

"Old enough to kick your fossil ass, Rogers," Natasha growled at him as everyone laughed harder.

"Oh really? You think so?" Steve teased her, patting her bottom gently, holding her tightly. "You may have to wait until I let you up."

"Steve, I swear to god," Natasha squirmed, laughing.

"And one to grow on," Pepper yelled, clasping her hands and leaning into Tony.

The 'one to grown on' SMACK stung a little. Natasha supposed it was because of her mouthing off while she was already over his knee.

Steve lifted her up and sat her on his lap, "Happy Birthday, Natasha." He pulled her mouth down to his and gave her a proper kiss, then a tight hug as she buried her face in his neck and hugged him tightly. She was a little embarrassed after feeling very, very vulnerable in a room full of people. She'd trusted him and he hadn't betrayed her trust. Maybe this was all a good thing.

Clint walked over and handed Steve a one hundred dollar bill. "I owe you that, brother. You're braver than I thought, spanking the world's deadliest woman. She must really like you because you're getting off with all your limbs intact. Buy yourself a steak on me."

Natasha flipped Clint off but her grin was friendly. "Sorry, Nat," Clint chuckled.

Steve grinned at him, pushing the money away. "I'd rather have dinner with a friend, if that's all right Clint."

Clint grinned back, "You've got a deal, Cap. We'll do it soon."

"See? Now I have proof that she's his favorite." Tony pointed dramatically to Nat and Steve. "Total favoritism, right there."

"Natasha? Would you mind getting up for a minute?" Pepper asked sweetly.

Natasha hopped up and let Pepper pull her aside. Pepper reached under the couch near Steve and retrieved a wooden paddle. Reaching back, she grabbed Tony and pulled him forward to Steve.

"Here," she said, handing Steve the paddle, "Spank him. I don't care what for, he needs it." Steve's face registered his surprise but not more so than Tony. "But Pepper, it's not my birthday," Tony sounded discomforted.

"I don't care!" Pepper exclaimed. "You've been a giant pain in the ass for forever and after that stunt with the nuke...Spank him, Steve, he respects you."

To Steve's utter surprise, Tony agreed. "It's true. I do respect you, I always have. You were what I aspired to be because my dad was so proud of you. I'm proud you're on our team too, Cap. Really I am."

Steve stood up and handed Tony the paddle. "Thank you, Tony. It really does mean a lot to me that you feel that way. If I hadn't gone into the ice, your dad wanted me to be godfather to any child he had when and if he got married. With Howard everything was speculative."

"So, no spanking, godfather?" Tony asked. Everyone else groaned.

Steve looked Tony right in the eye, took the paddle out of his hand, braced his left boot on the coffee table and dragged Tony over his raised knee in the space of a heartbeat. SMACK The noise reverberated in the large room.

That time, it wasn't a tempered hand, rather a wooden paddle with the super soldier's muscle behind it and Tony squawked. Steve stood Tony upright, put his foot back on the floor then handed the paddle back to Pepper, "Keep it. You may need it."

He turned back to Tony, "Still want that on your birthday?"

"No, no, I think I'm fine. Natasha can be your favorite."

After everyone stopped laughing they sat down to cake after Natasha blew out the candles.


	7. Thor to the Rescue

The cab Tony called dropped them at Steve's apartment. Natasha wasn't sure what to do next. She was laden with her gifts; they'd left the karaoke machine at Tony's. Should she offer to stay, just leave and go home? She didn't want to be a pest if he wanted some alone time.

Steve reached down and tipped her chin up. "Hey, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I guess I should probably go home." Her unease was apparent.

Steve's eyes were awash with concern as he watched the walls that she had dropped for him the night before start to come down around her. "Natasha, don't. Don't do that."

"What?" She frowned up at him.

"Close up again. Come on, we need to have a talk." Steve swept her under his arm, grabbed the gym bag with her gifts and marched her inside and up to his apartment. Once they got inside, he maneuvered her over to the couch and sat her down. He sat next to her and took her hands in his. They were delicate looking hands, so small in comparison to his own.

"Listen to me," He began, "You are never not welcome here. I will even give you my spare key so you don't have to break in again. You're safe with me, Nat. I will do everything in my power not to cause you any pain or regret."

"Okay." She whispered.

"I laid my shield aside last night not because I've got so much to catch up on but because it was you. I wanted you too; from the first moment I saw you on the helicarrier a year ago. All I could think about was holding you in my arms, a woman who was so special, so incredibly brave and so beautiful. I never dreamed that you might want me as well. Me, Natasha; not Captain America, just Steve Rogers."

He paused and searched her face. It was hard to determine whether he was getting through to her or not. "Please don't shut me out. Whatever you are feeling, whatever questions you want to ask, please keep everything open between us."

She nodded and met his gaze. Her eyes were clear, no tears, receding pain. "I wasn't sure if you didn't want to be alone. I've been here for two days now and didn't know how to ask if you still wanted me to come in. I've never done this before either, Steve. A real relationship, I mean."

"Then we'll do it together, hand in hand and side by side, like we do everything else." Steve's smile was warm and tender.

She couldn't help but smile back at him. "Okay."

Her eyes widened suddenly, "Steve, thank you again for these beautiful earrings." She reached up to touch one. "I never expected any gift let alone such a beautiful one."

"It's my pleasure. I want to spoil my best girl." Steve reached around her and pulled her against him, kissing the top of her head.

Natasha honed in on what he just said, "Your best girl? Is that code for going steady in 1945 speak?"

Steve laughed and hugged her tighter to him, "Yes, Sweetheart, I guess it is." He pulled back and looked her in the eye. "That is, if you want to. I want you to be my best girl, the choice is up to you."

She couldn't explain the turmoil in her heart. He knew what she was, knew she was an assassin; knew she was damaged goods but he still seemed to want her. Well, hell. Apparently this was a day of firsts.

"Okay, Steve. I'll be your best girl."

That pleased him immeasurably and he pulled her in for a proper kiss.

They spent the rest of the evening watching movies and necking on his couch. Much, much later, Steve felt her head grow heavier against his chest. She'd fallen asleep. Carefully, tenderly, the super soldier scooped her up and carried her to his bed. He took her boots off and slid her under the covers. Natasha barely stirred.

He was tired but his fingers yearned to create something. He got out his sketch pad and pencils, sitting at his kitchen table until dawn broke, drawing images of the woman in his bed. When he finally crawled into bed with her, exhausted but happy, she scooted toward his warmth and he enfolded her in his arms before drifting off himself. That night he dreamed of Skinny Steve and an intoxicatingly beautiful red headed spy.

The next morning, Natasha woke up alone in Steve's apartment. He'd left a note for her on the table where she'd left the one for him.  
 _"Sweetheart, quick mission to Toronto per Fury. Here is my spare key for your use. Make yourself at home, everything I have is yours. Can't wait to hold you again, Steve."_

She picked up the key and twirled it in her fingers. There was that trust thing again. He trusted her with his home, his possessions, his secrets. She shook her head. He was the biggest example of non-toxic masculinity she'd ever seen. Steve Rogers was alpha enough to be gentle, a guardian of any and all he believed needed his protection, and a man who absolutely would not abuse his status or strength. Never had she known anyone like him.

After a shower and breakfast, Natasha poked through his bookshelf in the living room and found an old photo album. She made herself a fresh pot of coffee and settled on the couch with a cup and Steve's album. The first pages showed a small, frail looking boy with his mother. Natasha wondered who had taken the candid photos since she knew Steve's father had died before he was born.

The child she was looking at had his mother's blonde hair and big blue eyes. Evidently he'd gotten his nose and mouth from his dad. Baby Steve was simply a beautiful little boy who was obviously loved and cherished. Further into the album, there were pictures of him with a handsome young man who was apparently his friend since there were a lot of them together. Natasha extracted one of the pictures and saw elegant handwriting on the back noting, "Steve and Bucky".

There were a lot of pictures with Steve and the young man named Bucky. Some with just the two of them, some with Steve and his mother and some with perky looking young women as the two boys became men. The ones with the girls gave her more of a clue; the girls always seems to be hanging on or close to Bucky while Steve was a little off to the side.

Natasha frowned as she inspected one toward the end, it was dated 1941 and said "Sergeant James 'Bucky' Barnes". It was a picture of Bucky in his uniform. Next to him was Steve who looked to be at least a full eight inches shorter, much more frail, but smiling at his friend. Bucky's hand was on Steve's shoulder in a brotherly fashion. Behind them were a couple of impatient looking women and a large banner that said, Stark Expo. It must have been one of the last pictures taken of Steve before he joined the Army. One of the last of Bucky too. Now she had a face to go with the name of Steve's lost best friend. The one he'd lost on the train which she'd read about.

Steven Grant Rogers had been born in 1918, America entered the war in 1940, which made him 23 in the picture in 1941. With his slim frame, he looked like an eighteen year old kid next to his taller, muscular friend. He had a lost look about him. Natasha stared at the photo for a long time. She knew from his file that he had been so determined to join the Army and serve that he had lied on his enlistment forms and tried five different times to get in. His health issues had earned him a firm 4F rating until Dr. Abraham Erskine had seen beyond the fragile shell into the heart of a guardian soldier who only wanted to help others in need. Erskine's death still haunted Steve as did Bucky's.

She carefully put the photo back in the album and the album back on the shelf where it had been kept. There was an old cigar box further down the shelf. Natasha opened it and found more of Steve's medals, a presidential citation, Medal of Honor, and an old tarnished compass. She flipped open the lid to find a picture of a beautiful dark haired woman with dark eyes in uniform. "Peggy," she whispered and studied the photo.

Just looking at her, she could see how Steve would have been smitten. The woman was beautiful with a strong, determined look on her face. Natasha knew that Steve had gone off half cocked to rescue men trapped behind enemy lines because Peggy believed in him. Thankfully, he had been an excellent tactician even then and pulled off the rescue without a hitch. Still, it twanged at her own protective instincts that even then when he was being an actual hero, no one, particularly Peggy herself, had thought to really be there for Steve. Sure they were all there cheering Captain America on but why wasn't Steve Rogers valued and cherished? No wonder he had identity issues.

Nat scrambled into her clothing, left Steve a brief note and had the doorman hail a cab for her to her apartment. Once there, she changed clothes into a tight midnight blue v-neck cashmere sweater that hugged her curves and contrasted well with her red curls, black jeans and her lower heeled thigh high black boots; packed an overnight bag with some specific garb that she had on hand from prior missions, stopped in at S.H.I.E.L.D to get currency from their storehouse then headed off to Stark Tower to find Thor. She had an idea simmering in her head and she was pretty certain the god of thunder would be able to advise her and maybe even help her.

As she walked in the front doors of Stark Tower, she ran into Pepper Potts, Tony's patient, erstwhile girlfriend who was on her way out. "Hey, Pepper," Natasha waved at her friend.

"Natasha! What a nice surprise!" Pepper stopped to hug her.

"Listen, Pepper, I need a favor. I need to talk to Thor. I've got an idea to help Steve with some stuff but I don't want Tony finding out or teasing me or Steve about it."

Pepper grinned, "I don't think Tony is going to antagonize Steve very much for awhile after that swat he got at the party."

Natasha laughed, "Good, but could you please distract him for a bit while I get Thor and get out of here?"

"You bet. I'll take care of it. Can I know what's going on?" Pepper asked.

"It's a little hard to explain right now but if I am successful, I'll tell you all about it; I promise." Nat appreciated Pepper for a number of reasons. She was a very, very good friend; she could control Tony when no one else could and she could keep her mouth shut when necessary.

"Deal." Pepper said, pulling out her phone to call Tony. "Hey, listen, we've got an appointment with some S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who is replacing Phil Coulson...yes, you need to be there. Come down, I'll have Happy keep the car on idle."

"You're all clear. Go that way," Pepper pointed toward the business offices of Stark Tower, "and then go up to the apartment. Give me 5 minutes to get him off site."

Natasha obeyed her and hurried off. As soon as she could she stealthily made her way up to Tony and Pepper's apartment. As promised, Thor was there with Clint and Bruce. "Hey guys," she said as she stepped in. Bruce waved noncommittally at her and went back to what he was reading.

"Hey Nat," Clint said, "Steve's not here. Fury sent him on a thing to Toronto."

"Yeah, I know, I need to talk to Thor though, if that's all right."

Thor's surprise was evident, "Lady Natasha? What may I help you with?"

She'd gotten to know Thor fairly well over the past year and liked him and his astrophysicist girlfriend, Jane Foster very much. They'd never really sat down and had a chat one to one though so this was a little awkward.

"You got a minute for a private talk?"

"For you, certainly, Lady Natasha." Thor stood to his full height, dwarfing the red haired spy. He was at least four inches taller than Steve, she noticed as she really looked at him.

"Great, let's go out on the patio." Nat set her bag down and went out the door. Thor followed.

"I'm going to share something with you that I'd like you to keep to yourself for the time being," Natasha started out.

Thor's bright blue eyes regarded her steadily. He wasn't just all muscle. Like Steve, Thor was highly intelligent and after thousands of years of life, was pretty quick to catch on to subtle 'tells' from people. "You and Captain Rogers are finally in a relationship?"

"Damn it, Thor." Natasha blushed, to her absolute horror.

Chuckling, he patted her shoulder gently, "It is well, little sister. You two compliment each other. He is a fine, honorable man and you, my lady, are a fine, honorable woman."

"Well, I don't know about that," she said without looking at him.

"I do." Thor said, definitively, reaching down to tip her chin up so that she'd meet his eyes. "We have all done things we are not proud of, Natasha. Your Captain Rogers is well aware of this. He is not a man to judge people for their past. He knows that his life and his heart are safe in your keeping. You need to remember that yours are safe in his hands as well. Let him love you. You are worthy of such a man and he is worthy of a woman who will not fear his love and who will be at his side, always."

Natasha fidgeted uncomfortably. Besides Clint and now Steve, she wasn't used to having true male friends who would throw truth into her face when she least expected it. Thor was treating her like a kid sister and while it felt different and a little invasive, it felt comforting as well. She patted his arm.

"Thanks, Thor. That means a lot, really it does. That is kind of what I wanted to talk to you about..." They sat down on the edge of the fire pit and Natasha explained what she was thinking. Thor listened without interrupting until she was done.

"I believe there might be a way to fulfill your wish," Thor said finally. "Will you accompany me to Asgard? We will seek counsel of my mother, Frigga. She will know how to accomplish this, I am certain."

"Seriously? Asgard? That would be great." Natasha was surprised and humbled that he would suggest taking her to his home world.

"Clint! Please bring my bag here!" Natasha yelled to Barton in the next room. Hawkeye came out onto the patio and handed her the bag, "What's going on, Nat?"

"Clint, Thor's taking me to Asgard. I left a note for Steve but it's not going to cover this. Will you please tell him that I'll be back as soon as I can and I will explain everything?"

Clint narrowed his eyes at her. "Were you planning on explaining to me as well?"

"Yes, I will explain everything to you as well." Natasha replied.

"Good, you can explain when we get there. I'm coming with you." Barton jogged back into the apartment to get his equipment before she could answer. "No, Clint..." Natasha yelled at his receding back.

"It would be a good idea to have a partner, little sister." Thor said. "I cannot go with you as I am afraid I am too obvious. Barton is stealthy and your friend as well. He would be a good choice to watch over you in case there are problems."

"I really need to do this alone, Thor." Natasha sighed. "Clint knows better than anyone that I'm capable of taking care of myself. Let's go."

"As you wish," Thor wrapped his arm tightly around her waist and threw out his hand. Mjolinir flew to him instantly. "Heimdall!" Thor bellowed. There was a barrage of rainbow light then a wrenching twist in her stomach as the world fell away. Natasha threw her arms around Thor's waist and held on.


	8. Hello 1941

She opened her eyes when she felt solid ground under her feet again and Thor released her. The first thing she saw was a giant with an elaborate golden helmet and an enormous sword.

"Heimdall, this is the Lady Natasha. She is my friend and my adopted little sister." Thor made the introductions. "I would have you watch her as you watch all of us and if she should need aid, bring her home to me, here."

"As you command, Crown Prince." Heimdall nodded and handed Natasha three golden tokens. "Keep these with thee. Should you have need, call my name and I shall hear."

"Thank you, Heimdall," Nat said, pocketing the coins. "I hope I won't need your help but it's good to have, just in case."

"This way; we will ride across the bifrost." Thor led her out onto a literal rainbow bridge crossing a stormy void and waited. In the distance she could see vast farmlands, very elegant golden houses and buildings. In the middle of the landscape sat a huge golden palace.

Shortly, two large men rode up leading two very large horses. "Lady Natasha.." Thor indicated that she should mount up. She walked to the closer one, a bay mare from the look of things and vaulted into the saddle.

Thor was pleased at her fortitude. "You sit the horse like a princess, my lady."

"Thanks; it's been awhile but yes, I do know how to ride." Natasha smiled at the absurdity of it all and followed Thor at an easy canter so she could look around and admire the beauty that was Asgard.

At the end of the bifrost were two attendants waiting to take the horses. Nat dismounted and followed Thor into the palace itself. Heavily armed guards lined the hallways. Thor shortened his stride so that Natasha could keep up with him, chattering about the statues placed in alcoves and the weaponry displayed. At the end of a flight of stairs and down another wide open hallway, sat Odin on a golden throne with Frigga at his side.

"Father, mother..." Thor bowed deeply to them both. Natasha followed his lead and did the same. She was here to ask a favor. Being polite and honoring custom would get her further than if she remained stoic.

Thor explained Natasha's idea quickly, asking his mother for help. She took it all in, then rose and came to Natasha, taking her hands in her own.

"So, you want to travel back in time to when the man you love was...not quite himself...in order to give him...confidence? Do I have that correct, Natasha Romanoff?" Frigga asked her.

"Yes, ma'am", Natasha nodded. She was unsure how to address the tall Queen. It didn't occur to her until much later that Thor had not told his parents her last name when he introduced her.

Frigga looked pointedly at her. "Ma'am, my...er...boyfriend...needs to know that he is loved and appreciated for who he is, not what he is." Damn, this was hard. She was having to put labels on her involvement with Steve.

"If he loves a warrior such as yourself, my dear, I am certain he knows his own worth," Frigga chided her gently.

Natasha frowned. "Can I speak freely, to just you, ma'am?"

"Certainly. Thor, you and your father go see to tonight's banquet." It wasn't a request. Both men got out of there without a word. Natasha thought she might take notes. Frigga was quite impressive.

She reached into her bag and pulled out Steve's before and after pictures and showed them to Frigga. After explaining the Project Rebirth program and Dr. Erskine to the Lady of Asgard, (after all, who was she going to tell?), Natasha talked about Steve and her aggravation that no one had ever made him feel worthwhile except for his friend, Bucky Barnes and how Barnes had been lost during a mission. Steve still grieved and blamed himself for Bucky's death.

Frigga listened patiently then gave Natasha a motherly hug. "What you are asking is not without risk. We can send you back within a specific time frame but what you do there can alter the here and now."

"I am aware of the risks. I want to give Steve two things that he doesn't have now. I want him to know that the man he is, is the man he was and I'd like to try and save his best friend and the doctor who gave him his chance." Natasha said, earnestly.

"Would he approve of this course of action?" Frigga asked, gently.

"He definitely would not. He...he never puts himself first. I want to give him something no one else can give him. For his sake, not mine." Nat added quickly. This wasn't about kudos for her, this was about Steve not losing everything. Okay, and to get him past Peggy too. That was hard to admit to herself but there it was.

"You are very brave, Lady Natasha. If you are determined to follow this course of action, I will help you. I am certain though that your Captain will take you in hand once he learns of this. You will risk more than just his anger." Frigga was perceptive and direct.

Natasha paled a little, Frigga was right. Steve was from a different time frame and while he respected her and her capability, he also felt very strongly about protecting those he cared about. Sexism had nothing to do with it. He was bound to be angry with her for vanishing without an explanation particularly if he knew she were risking this for him. Clint was bound to be more than a little pissed off too. Her boyfriend and her best friend being annoyed with her at the same time was enough to make the international honey trap a little quivery in her stomach.

"He's worth it. If I can at least give him back his best friend, and maybe Dr. Erskine, it's worth it." Natasha said firmly. _And maybe his first best girl_...that one made her stomach hurt.

Natasha changed into what she hoped would pass for an appropriate look for 1941. It was a little daring, she was wearing pants; not exactly everyday wear for the war time woman but an acceptable look. Her hair required little styling. She'd pinned up her glorious curls into a bun. Her boots were S.H.I.E.L.D. issue, disguised to look like decades older footwear.

She slung her duffle bag over her shoulder, double checked that golden tokens which Heimdall had given her were safe; made certain the currency she'd requested was indeed period accurate; and went to find Thor and Frigga. They were waiting for her outside the palace and with them was a woman Natasha didn't know.

"Lady Natasha, this is Freya. She has the capability to weave magic pertaining to destiny; she will help you on this mission of yours." Thor said.

"Thank you all for helping me in this. I will do my best to rescue three people who mean a great deal to Steve. Please let him know that I haven't left him, Thor. Don't spill on what I'm doing exactly, just tell him I'm trying to give him the life he should have had; that he was cheated out of." Natasha admitted.

"I will tell him, but I cannot promise he will take the knowledge well." Thor gripped her shoulder gently. "Little sister...are you trying to give him an alternative to you?"

Natasha squirmed at that. "Thor, he deserves so much more than me."

The thunder god regarded her then pulled her into a hug. "I know you are wrong, Natasha. You underestimate Captain Rogers. I believe he knows exactly what he needs and what is best for him. You are best for him. What you are doing is admirable, however do not be surprised if he takes you to task for causing him worry. And he will be worried."

"Worried, pissed off and scared. Yeah, I'm pretty certain of that." Natasha agreed. "I just have to give him the options, you know?"

"Heimdall will keep close watch on you and will bring you back if your situation becomes dangerous or dire. Agreed?"

"Thor, I can handle...oh for fuck's sake, yes. Agreed." Natasha wasn't certain he'd let her go without her promise. Hopefully she'd be in and out of that time frame quickly. Then she'd have to face Steve and the music, as it were. "Please ask Dr. Banner to stand by with a trauma team here. I'm going to try to save Dr. Erskine and Bucky."

"I will. Fare thee well, Lady Natasha. We will see each other soon." Thor winked at her and strode off.

It took some explaining between Natasha and Frigga but Freya understood what she was being asked to do. "Hold firmly in your mind the image of 'where' you want to be." Freya told Natasha.

Natasha slung her duffle bag over her back, patted the golden tokens in her pocket again and thought back to the photographs she had seen in Steve's apartment. The one with him and Bucky at the Stark Expo. That's where she wanted to go. Exactly that day and that time. Freya and Frigga took her hands in theirs and began chanting. Natasha couldn't understand or remember any of the words the two of them said. They disappeared like cotton candy in her mind.

Unlike the bifrost highway that Thor had taken her to, this time the world didn't fall away. Suddenly everything felt and smelt different. She opened her eyes to find it was nighttime, stars spangled the sky. The air was fresher but had the heady aroma of popcorn and sweetness.

She looked around cautiously. In front of her was a huge banner that read "Stark Expo". A red car was on a stage and a man in a tuxedo was talking to the crowd through a mic.

"Excuse me, please," a familiar baritone voice said near her ear. She turned to find herself face to face with Steve. Rather, a smaller, more fragile version of Steve. He glanced at her and his eyes widened. "I'm sorry ma'am, I hope I didn't shove you or anything. I'm trying to catch up with my friend and his...dates."

"You didn't, please don't worry about it." Natasha managed to unscramble her thoughts and respond appropriately. She smiled brilliantly at him.

To her surprise, he gave a shy smile back and blushed. "My friend got dates for himself and me but she doesn't like me much."

It was unsettling hearing Steve's voice come out of this smaller, thinner version. She mentally shook herself and focused. "Why would she not like you? Any woman would be proud to be your date."

"Thank you," he ducked his head a bit, blushing harder, "I know you don't mean it but thank you for saying that."

In response, she hooked her arm through his, "I did mean it. I'll be your date if she's too dumb to know what's she's got."

Steve's eyes widened and his whole face brightened up. "You would? My...My name is Steve. Steve Rogers"

"I'm Natalie Rushman. And you bet I will." She noticed that he was a couple of inches taller than she was but she most certainly outweighed him but at least twenty pounds. The name she gave him was one of her aliases and the one she'd used on Tony Stark when she briefly worked for him.

There was a god-awful noise just then from the stage. The car had been levitating but the propulsion jets holding it up failed and it crashed to the ground. "Well, that sucked." Nat commented and laughed, causing Steve's eyebrows to raise.

He'd never met anyone like her. She was stunningly beautiful with red hair, green eyes and a beautiful pair of lips. Apparently she was outspoken as well with that sultry voice of hers. He could live with it. She was far more beautiful than either of the girls Bucky had on his arms.

The aforementioned Bucky turned back just then and his eye widened when he saw a beautiful woman on Steve's arm. "Hello, I'm Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes. My friends call me "Bucky" for short."

Nat looked at his proffered hand and took it in a firm handshake, "Hi, Bucky. I'm Natalie Rushman, it's nice to meet you."

Bucky gave her an up and down appraising look, "This is my last night before I ship out, Natalie. These ladies were going to come with Steve and I to go dancing. Would you like to join us?"

Nat noticed Steve looking wistfully at the Army recruitment center directly across from the Expo stage. "Um...no thanks, I was actually going to go over there and see if I can enlist."

Steve quickly said, "I'm going to go with her, Bucky. You and the girls will have more fun without me tagging along."

"Steve, wait..." Bucky's words were drowned out as Natasha dragged Steve along toward the big tent.

They made it to the top of the four stairs leading up to the platform on which the recruitment tents stood before Bucky caught up with them. "Steve, this isn't a back ally fight; this is war."

"Men are risking their lives, Buck. I got no right to not do the same." Steve's jaw set in a familiar stubborn line that Nat recognized instantly.

As the two friends were arguing, Nat spied an older, balding man with glasses, standing off to the side, listening to their conversation. She moved over to him and stuck out her hand, "Dr. Abraham Erskine?"

He looked at her with surprise then hushed her, "One moment, young woman, I want to hear this." He pointed to Steve and Bucky.

They listened to the end. "You're a punk," Bucky said with a grin on his face and pulled Steve in for a hug.

"Jerk." Steve replied and hugged his best friend back. He watched as Bucky and the two women sauntered off into the crush of the fairground crowd.

"Now, young woman, what can I do for you?" Dr. Erskine turned his attention back to Natasha.

"One second," Nat turned to Steve, "You go on in, I'll be right after you and I'll meet you here, in a bit. Okay?"

"Okay." Steve turned and glumly made his way into the tent.

"Dr. Erskine, I'm Natalie Rushman. I'm a friend of Peggy Carter's. I want to join your SSR group." There, that was straight to the point. It was a big fat lie, but it was to the point.

His eyes widened, "Have you had any experience?"

"Yes, I have. I can speak English, French, German, Russian and Italian. I'm good at code breaking and espionage." As proof, she produced her Russian and American passports – both period correct, and a letter of recommendation from her former commandant.

Erskine studied them carefully. If the woman was lying these were very, very good forgeries. He could find nothing wrong with them or her. "Very well, come inside and let's get you on my team."

"Dr. Erskine, one other thing, that young man I was with? He has a noble heart. I know you understand me when I say that." Nat, put her hand lightly on Erskine's arm.

"I did notice that, yes." Dr. Erskine agreed.

"All he needs is a chance," Natasha's eyes pleaded with him.

"So tonight, I get two new recruits, is that what you want to hear?" Dr. Erskine patted her arm fondly. "Very well, I will see what this noble young man has to say."

"Thank you, Doctor. You won't be disappointed." Nat gave him a beaming smile and took his arm to be escorted in and fill out her paperwork.

After, she had been examined, processed and given her paperwork, she pinned the SSR pins on her lapels and wriggled into the dark khaki pants and jacket they'd given her. The boots were a little big until she put on the heavy socks they'd issued her with them. She stood and looked at her reflection in the mirror. Fair enough. She looked good.

"Agent Rushman?" Dr. Erskine called to her.

"Yes, doctor?" Nat poked her head out of the changing room.

"Would you accompany me, please?"

She scooted out after him, being sure to take her bag which held her other garb and the precious gold tokens, and followed him to a curtained room. Inside was Steve, looking nervous and a bit panicked.

"So, you want to join the army and kill Nazis?" Dr. Erskine asked Steve. Steve was busy looking at Nat in uniform and her lieutenant's insignia on her epaulets.

"Er...I don't want to kill anyone. I just hate bullies. I don't care where they're from." Steve replied, still staring at Natasha.

Dr. Erskine glanced back at Natasha who was doing her best to have blank face at the moment. "Well, I have the highest recommendation that you have a noble heart. We will give you a chance if you want it."

Steve looked confused until it hit him that Erskine had said 'a chance'. "I'll take it!"

"Where are you from?" Erskine asked him as he found the rubber stamp he was looking for.

"Brooklyn." Steve said definitively. He stood taller and straighter as Erskine handed him his papers with a 1A on them. He looked at Natasha who winked and gave him a little smile.

After both received their paperwork on where to report – basic training for Steve, Agent training for Nat – she offered to buy him a drink to celebrate. They went to a restaurant close to the fairgrounds that Steve knew. He was nearly buoyant with joy. Natasha ordered two beers and two roast beef sandwiches for them. As they sat at the table waiting for their order, Steve shyly reached over and squeezed her hand.

"This has turned into a great day. Meeting you has made everything fall into place. You're a good luck charm, Natalie." He blushed again.

"I'm just so glad things have worked out for you. And I think you are getting everything on your own merit. I didn't have anything to do with it." Nat lied out her ass, but it was a good lie so it didn't count. He colored more with her praise and changed the subject.

"Where are you from, anyway?," Steve asked her.

"Not from around here," Nat sipped her beer, watching him closely. Steve's voice coming out of not-Steve's body was taking a lot of getting used to. "The good news is we'll be training at the same place so we'll get to see a lot of each other."

That surprised him, "You mean you'd still want to be friends with me?"

"Of course, Steve, how could I not? You're a great guy!" Natasha let him see the smile in her eyes. "That is if you want to. I don't want to force myself on you if you've got enough women in your life."

"Force?" Steve echoed a conversation they'd just had a few days ago in a different time period. "Agent Rushman, I would be honored to spend time with you. I just can't believe a beautiful dame...er...girl...er...woman, like yourself would want to be with someone like me."

His stumbling around was endearing. His scent was vaguely familiar too. It must be the same cologne he still had in present day. "Maybe I'm just looking for the right partner," Natasha smiled at him over her beer.

Steve was shocked, "That is what I always say! Bucky could tell you. I've always said that I wanted the right partner."

"Maybe we have a lot more in common than you think," Natasha reached over and patted his hand. Steve's blue, blue eyes were wide with adoration. He was so happy that he forgot to blush.

Their food came and they ate together, sharing little tidbits of their lives and laughing. Steve couldn't remember when he'd had a better time with anyone. Natasha was surprised at how much of the Steve she knew was housed in this smaller, much more delicate looking body. She noticed that he wasn't blushing as much with her and seemed much more relaxed and happy.

Steve only cared that a beautiful, mysterious woman had appeared out of the blue and that suddenly his life felt like it was finally taking the direction it was meant to take.


	9. Steve's Place

After dinner, they walked out together, Nat linked her arm through Steve's and shouldered her bag on the opposite arm. "Would you like me to carry that for you?" Steve asked her.

"Oh no, thank you though. It's really not heavy." It was but there was no way she was telling him that. "Do you know a safe place around here where I can stay for the next couple of days until our bus leaves?" She asked him.

Steve looked surprised at that, "You came here with no where to stay?" Nat shook her head.

"You can stay at my place, if you want. There are two bedrooms. I..I..don't mean to suggest any funny stuff. I'm sorry, I'm saying this all wrong." Steve was back to blushing again.

To his surprise, Natasha laughed. "You are a true gentleman, coming to a lady's aid. I appreciate you allowing me to stay with you."

Steve brightened instantly. "All right. Let's go then." This time he patted her hand as she held his arm.

They got to his apartment building where he led her down a short alley to the back and up some rather questionable stairs. Steve gently moved her aside on the narrow landing while he fished his key out of his pocket and unlocked the door. He stepped back to allow her to precede him. "After you, ma'am."

Natasha stepped into a clean but dingy apartment. Steve hit the light switch and she could see it was painted a soft blue. Wallpaper was the norm for this time frame so to see it painted was surprising. She set her bag down next to the couch. "You have a very nice home, Steve."

"Thank you. I've lived here all my life. Bucky...my friend you met, lives a couple of floors down." Steve told her. "Would you like me to show you to your room?"

"That would be nice, thank you." Nat picked up her bag and followed him to a neat and tidy bedroom with a twin bed in it. She set her bag down on the bed and turned back to him.

"I'll be just down the hall...the um...bathroom is right next door to you." Steve was looking everywhere except the bed.

"Steve, thank you for being my first friend here. And for being so generous with your time and your home." Natasha reached over and pressed a gentle kiss on his cheek.

"Y-you're welcome, Natalie." Steve looked like he might actually faint.

"I'm not really tired yet, do you want to sit up and talk awhile?" Nat offered.

Steve's eyes brightened and he nodded, "That would be great. Yes, I would like that."

She took his hand and walked back out into the living room, sitting on the couch and drawing him down next to her. He looked utterly terrified but very interested as well. Evidently he didn't spend much time with women one to one. She kept her hand in his and gave him her undivided attention.

Bit by bit as they talked, she felt him relax. He stopped staring at the floor, then looked up and met her eyes. She soon had him smiling and leaning back against the couch, slightly turned toward her. Nat knew she had to be careful here but her instincts were that Steve needed to know that he was worthwhile now; that he had value now. He would gain all the accolades anyone could dream of after the serum but he needed to feel special here and now.

Right now, he was telling her about his and Bucky's friendship. Bucky had always been there for Steve. Bucky had been his friend, his protector, his brother in all but blood. Steve, instead of being jealous or resentful of Bucky's prowess with women and his ability to make friends, held him in high regard and pride, as an older brother who was always the best at everything he did.

"I only met him for those few minutes, but he does seem like a wonderful guy, Steve. I'm glad you have him as your best friend." Natasha smiled.

Unexpectedly, Steve looked a little downcast. "If you want me to introduce you properly, we can see him off tomorrow. You're just the type of girl he'd go for, you're so beautiful and all."

Natasha blinked. "Steve, I'm not interested in Bucky. I just said he seemed very nice. I'm more interested in the type of girl you'd go for. Would I be that type?"

Steve blushed scarlet, raising his eyes to hers, "But I thought..."

"Steve, did you actually think I was hanging out with you, staying at your house just so I could go after your friend?" Natasha reached over and cupped her hand on the side of his face, smiling at him.

Steve looked down and nodded then pulled his hand back. Natasha reached over and took his hand again. "Steve, I am here because I like you. I feel safe with you and very comfortable." There. That was totally not a lie. She had felt safe with Steve Rogers from the moment they'd met on the helicarrier. This version of him was no different. He was sweet, a gentleman and wholly, completely insecure. She was going to fix that.

"I've never had a woman, certainly not a beautiful one like you be interested in me before." He managed to get out. Blue, blue eyes flicked up and met hers. He was embarrassed, fragile, but determined to be courageous and strong.

Her heart melted. Bless him, he had no idea how to take any of this in or respond to her interest. "Then the women here in Brooklyn are blind or not very bright if they're passing on you."

His eyes searched her face. He wanted so badly to believe her. She had to tread very carefully. She didn't want to make him uncomfortable or spook him. "Steve, do you want to listen to some music or something?"

"I...I don't have a record player but I have a radio." Steve gently pulled his hand back and rose to cross the room and flick on the radio on a side table. A little adjusting and he found a popular music station. When he turned back, he was startled to find her right behind him.

"Let's dance!" Natasha said, taking his hand again.

"I don't know how, ma'am." Steve looked like he wanted to fall through the floor.

"I'll show you and my name is Natalie." Without giving him a chance to decline, she deftly put his hand on her waist, her hand on his shoulder and clasped her right hand around his left hand. Slowly, very slowly, she started to move. Steve's eyes were glued to their feet.

"Hey, look up here," she teased gently. "Even if we step on each other's toes, as long as we have fun, that's what's important."

Steve looked into her eyes and she smiled approvingly. "Just relax, hold me closer...that's right...and just move to the rhythm of the music. We'll work on technique some other time, this is just the basics."

As they danced slowly, haltingly, Nat felt him start to relax. His hand loosened it's death grip on hers and he was moving better to the rhythm. "You're doing really well for your first time, Steve."

Before he could respond, she moved in a little closer and gently laid her head against his shoulder. He was just a little taller than she was but it gave the illusion for him that he was larger. In response, Steve's grip on her waist tightened and he gave a breathless whisper.

"Oh, Natalie."

She could feel him trembling. Raising her head she looked at him, "You okay, Steve?"

He stopped abruptly, meeting her gaze. "I've never...even kissed a girl before...you're just so beautiful and so nice..."

She smiled softly then leaned in and gently, softly, pressed her mouth to his in a chaste kiss. "Now you've kissed a woman."

Steve froze, looking dumbstruck. His eyes were wide with surprise and wonder. Nat gave him a quick hug and stepped away. "I think I'll turn in now. Thank you so much for a wonderful evening. If you still want to see Bucky off in the morning, I'll be glad to go with you. Good night." With that she went into her designated bedroom, flicked off the light and crawled under the covers, fully clothed. She waited until she heard him turn off the radio and walk up the hallway. He stopped briefly outside her door and she heard him whisper, "Good night, Natalie.", before continuing up to his own room and shutting the door.

Natasha was convinced she wouldn't sleep a wink that night. However, lulled by the knowledge that Steve was nearby and that he would need her to protect him, she finally drifted off. When she woke in the morning, it was to the smell of fresh coffee. Quickly and quietly she rose, changed her clothes into an attractive dark green dress that hugged her curves just enough, fished some black flats out of her bag then scooted to the bathroom for her morning routine.

When she emerged, make up on and hair brushed, she found Steve sitting in the kitchen dressed in nice slacks, polished shoes and a nicely pressed shirt. He immediately rose and his gaze appraised her up and down. Normally that kind of behavior would have pissed her off but he was so sweet and looked at her with such adoring eyes that it warmed her heart.

"Good morning, Natalie. Would you like some coffee?" He had to clear his throat to ask her.

"I would love some." She sat in the chair he indicated. He set a cup of coffee in front of her then handed her the sugar bowl and creamer.

"Thank you, are you having some too?" She asked while she doctored her coffee to where she liked it.

He poured his own cup then sat with her, adding cream and a little sugar to his own. "I thought we could go see Bucky off then grab some breakfast out. Or if you're really hungry, I can make you something now but we'll have to hurry."

"I think your idea is fine, Steve." Natasha said. She wanted to make him feel as comfortable with her as she could while she had the chance. He rewarded her with a sweet, shy smile.

After their coffee, Steve got his jacket, Natasha got her clutch purse and off they went to see Bucky before he shipped off to England. The walk to the bus station was short and Steve quickly spies his best friend waiting to board.

"Bucky!" Steve called out.

"Steve!" Bucky waved enthusiastically and came towards them.

"Couldn't let you leave without a proper good-bye." Steve sounded stronger than he felt.

Natasha watched as the two best friends embraced each other quickly. Bucky turned to her and held out his hand. To his surprise, Natasha stepped close and gave him a peck on the cheek. "Don't die over there," she said earnestly.

"Yes ma'am," Bucky said seriously. Then it dawned on him that she had come with Steve. "Wait, aren't you that girl from last night? The one at the recruitment station? Natalie, wasn't it?"

"Indeed I am; Natalie Rushman." Natasha said. "Your friend here was kind enough to offer me a place to stay until we're both shipped out to Fort Lehigh for basic and agent training."

Bucky's eyebrows shot up at that. "Really? Wow, tiger, I'm proud of you landing a beautiful woman like Natalie here!"

Steve blushed and looked down at his shoes then up at Natasha with a shy grin on his face. "Um...well...I didn't...land..."

"He is just the nicest, sweetest man I've ever met. I'm so lucky I ran into you two last night." Natasha butted in, rescuing Steve from a very awkward moment. She took his hand and wrapped his arm around her waist, sliding her arm around his slender body.

Steve was positively beaming. Bucky had a huge grin on his face. "See, Steve? I told you that a woman would recognize your good qualities one day. I'm glad I got to see it before I left. Hopefully we'll all run into each other over there when you two complete basic."

"I hope so, Buck." Steve said.

Natasha was busy studying Bucky. He was taller, more muscular, more confident than Steve was, but he was not a jackass. He looked into her eyes rather than at her cleavage or legs, didn't attempt to flirt with her even though she'd seen his flirting in action the night before. He was obviously respectful of Steve and her as Steve's date.

Yup. Bucky Barnes was a one in a million true friend. Nat aimed to keep him alive if she could.


	10. Brooklyn Date

After their good-byes to Bucky, Steve led her to a diner a short way from where they had been. He held her hand the whole way. Small talk was out. He'd just sent his best friend...close enough to be a brother...off to war and he was hurting. Nat felt a great deal of empathy for him.

While they waited on their food, Natasha put her hand over his on the table. "He'll be all right, Steve. Bucky seems to be resourceful and smart and very brave." She felt completely confident saying that since Bucky would be fine until the fall from the train.

Steve's eyes met hers. He had such a lost look that she had to fight not to get up and hug him until his eyes brightened again. "When I had nothing else, I still had Bucky. He's been my friend...my family really since my Ma died when I was fourteen. His family always included me in everything so I wouldn't be alone."

"You're not alone now either, Steve. I'm with you until the end." Natasha said. He couldn't possibly know how much she meant that.

Unexpectedly, his eyes teared up at that. "That's what Bucky and I always said. He's as close to me as a brother, Natalie. He's going over there and I won't be there to back him up. I don't know what to do."

"You're going to go over there, I'm going to be there as well. We'll try our hardest to keep each other as safe as we can, okay?" Her smile was warm and understanding.

Steve got a handle on his emotions before the waitress brought their food. Natasha noted that he was worried about Bucky, not worried about how he was going to make it through basic or even on the streets of Brooklyn without his friend. That was so much the Steve Rogers she knew in their own time. Same man, different packaging.

After breakfast, Natasha suggested a walk in his neighborhood. He obliged her, showing her the places and streets that were special to him; where he and Bucky had grown up, the hospital where his mother had worked. His pride in his mother was obvious. Even as a nurse, it had been hard for her to provide for them after his father had died. She did the best she could and Steve had never gone hungry, never not had decent clothes.

She slipped her hand into his as he talked and kept it there. As she studied his face, she could see the differences. The jaw line was different, his whole face was slimmer, thinner and it had nothing to do with his weight. His voice though, that was the same. The way he held her hand was the same touch she knew intimately. She felt a wrench in her chest. Pre-serum Steve was the same as Post-serum Steve. She'd known it all along. Now she had to convince him of that.

Oh and save Bucky, Dr. Erskine and maybe convince Peggy to come forward with her in time so that she and Steve could have the life they should have had and Steve would finally get that dance and the woman he had loved for so long.

That last part went through her heart like a dagger. Unconsciously, she fingered the earrings Steve had given her in another time, another place. She didn't want to lose him for any reason but she couldn't in good conscience keep him from something he was entitled to have. More than anyone else she knew, Steve Rogers deserved happiness and fulfillment.

"Hey," Steve's voice broke through her ruminating. "Are you okay, Natalie?"

She looked up into his concerned blue eyes. "Yeah, I'm okay. Just thinking too much."

"Natalie, I'm your friend. You can talk to me," Steve said earnestly.

"Thanks, Steve. I will keep that in mind." She squeezed his hand.

They shared hot dogs and Coca Cola for lunch. Natasha loved the original Coke which tasted like it was made with real sugar and slugged the first one down then bought two more so Steve could have a treat too. He objected to her paying for anything but she told him that friends could share responsibilities together.

"Natalie? Do you just want to be my friend?" Steve asked suddenly.

Nat looked at him, seeing that he was completely serious. "What did you have in mind, soldier?"

"I've never had a girlfriend so I don't know how this works..."

She knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that what Steve meant was completely innocent. He meant a 1940's version of girlfriend where a man and woman spent time together, were chaste, and nobody had sex until after marriage. In other words, a Disney-esque fairy tale. At this juncture, he'd probably have a heart attack or at the very least an asthma attack if he knew what she and his future self had been up to. Shit. What to do, what to do?

"Steve, are you asking me if I want to be your girlfriend?"

He took both of her hands in his and she had a brief moment of terror that he was going to propose. "Yeah, I guess I am."

She smiled and hugged him. "Okay Steve, I tell you what. I'll be your girlfriend until we get to New Jersey...there, we'll have to be really careful and just be friends because I'll be in the SSR, a lieutenant and you will be a private. Fraternization is forbidden in the army, remember?"

Realization dawned in his eyes, "I forgot about that, honestly. You're right, of course. It wouldn't be allowed and it would get you into a whole lot of trouble."

"It would get both of us in a whole lot of trouble, Steve." Natasha gently reminded him. "That doesn't mean I won't be able to see you, I just can't let anyone know you're my favorite, okay?"

That brightened him up and he smiled at her. "Okay."

She took him to the Russian Tea Room for dinner. "It's our last night as civilians so we ought to celebrate, I'm buying."

Steve had never been anywhere so opulent and was very impressed until he got a look at the menu and the prices. "Natalie, are you sure? These prices are really high."

"I'm sure. I was saving up for a nice dinner anyway and it's even better with you here to celebrate it with me." Nat toasted him with her water glass. Steve gingerly clinked glasses with her then apparently decided to just run with it because he didn't complain about the prices or anything else again; he just enjoyed the meal with his "girlfriend".

When they got back to Steve's house, Natasha got him to dance with her a little more. He wasn't quite as stiff this time and seemed to be enjoying the activity with her. As it grew later, Nat stopped the dance lesson, knowing they would have to be up and at the bus depot early in the morning.

"Thanks for another wonderful day, Steve." She took both his hands in her own.

"You're welcome. I had a great time too." He was suddenly blushing again. "Natalie?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I kiss you goodnight?"

She dropped his hands and stepped close, cupping his face gently in her palms then sliding her hands down to his shoulders. She tilted her face, closed her eyes and pressed a kiss against his mouth. His hands slid around her waist and he tugged her closer. Instinctively, because he sounded, smelled and kissed like the Steve she knew, she leaned into him further then deepened the kiss, flicking her tongue lightly over his lips. When he opened his mouth in surprise, she plundered it with her tongue.

He moaned into her mouth, tightening his embrace around her. She could suddenly feel his erection against her belly and mentally yelled at herself for taking this too far, too quickly. He was literally trembling in her arms. Gently, she pulled back but not away. It wouldn't do to reprimand him or spook him right now. He was a long way away from the Steve she knew.

"Goodnight, Steve. Sleep well. I'm excited about tomorrow and our new adventure into the army." Now she backed away from him and walked carefully to her room without the slightest shimmy. She shut the door and put the light out, leaving him standing in the living room, cock-blocked by his new girlfriend.

Steve was so flabbergasted that he wasn't sure what had just happened. Natalie...her mouth...that kiss...and he had gotten sexually aroused. No wonder she had gone to bed. He'd probably scared her into thinking he would rip her clothes off. He was supposed to be a gentleman, not a man who would take advantage of a beautiful woman.

If Natasha had known what Steve was currently pondering, she would have died laughing. As it was, she was laying in her bed, staring at the ceiling and wishing to the universe that her Steve, the one who was her actual boyfriend were here with her and why the hell she had thought any of this was a good idea.


	11. Some Assembly Required

At the Avenger's Tower, in New York City, present day, Her actual boyfriend Steve Rogers aka Captain America was arguing heatedly with Thor and Clint and Nick Fury. Fury was pissed because he had an assignment for Nat and she was nowhere to be found. Clint was pissed because Nat had taken off with Thor without telling him shit or letting him be backup. Steve was pissed because the woman he loved had vanished from this earth and everybody was refusing to give him any information. Thor was pissed because Clint in particular and possibly Steve and Nick Fury were pissed at him and he wasn't sure why.

Steve was in Angry Avenger Mode. He wasn't sure who he should really be angry with: Natasha, Thor, Clint, Fury or all of them. He'd come back from his assignment in Toronto to find an empty apartment. All he had was the note she'd left him on his kitchen table: _Steve, I've got to take care of something. Will be back soon and explain everything. I love you. Please remember that no matter what. ~ Natasha_

When he'd gotten back, he'd read the note and expected her to be gone for a day or two on some assignment from Fury. When she still didn't return, he'd contacted Fury who had come unhinged that nobody seemed to know where his favorite assassin was gone. Steve had started calling people then: Pepper, Clint, Bruce, and finally gone over to the Tower to find Thor since he was in town. Fury had met him there and both were demanding answers. Tony was out for the moment probably being filled in by Pepper. Steve knew one of them would check in if they knew anything. Natasha's phone just kept going to voice mail so either she couldn't or wouldn't answer. He'd left her a dozen messages and texts. Nothing. Worse, there had been no activity on her phone, credit cards, S.H.I.E.L.D. ID and her apartment had not been entered.

Steve was percolating with fear, anger, and frustration. "All of you, stop lying and tell me what the hell is going on. Where. Is. She."

Nick Fury turned and looked Steve square in the eye. "Cap, I don't know what is happening. If you don't know where she is then we may have an actual problem. It is not my week to watch your girlfriend. That is supposed to be your job."

Steve had had it with Fury and his snark, "Get out," he said, pointing toward the exit. "Get out and do not call me for any reason other than you have found Natasha and she is safe."

Fury's remaining eye narrowed, "You giving the orders now Cap? Because I can demand you take any assignment no matter what is going on in your personal life."

"Then I quit." Steve said. "Natasha is more important than any of this."

"If Steve quits, I'm out as well," Clint informed Fury.

"That goes for me too," Bruce came walking into the room just in time to hear the last exchange.

"Guess you're going to be a few agents short, Nick." That was from Tony who had followed Bruce in with Pepper on his arm. "Also, all that equipment that Stark Industries has built for S.H.I.E.L.D.? I'll be taking it all back until Nat's found since you haven't paid the bills yet."

Fury spun on his heel and left. Tony glanced around the room, finally settling on Steve who appeared to be the angriest. "Now that I've defended your honor, Spangles, would you mind filling me in on everything that Pepper's told me so far? I don't want anything to happen to Little Red either."

Steve sighed and showed Tony the note Natasha had left him then gave him his version of events. Clint followed up with what he knew. All eyes turned to Thor who had been noticeably quiet during the entire exchange. "Well? Did you take her to Asgard or not?" Tony asked him.

Thor stood and regarded all of them. "Captain, may I have a private word with you?"

Steve frowned but followed the tall Asgardian out onto the deck. Thor shut the door behind them. It was a windy day and his hair billowed behind him like a golden banner. "You have been someone who I have respected since we met," Thor began, "I have told you that I will follow you into battle or into Valhalla should you require it of me. I also respect Lady Natasha. She asked me for advice and I did take her to Asgard where I could better answer her question."

"I don't understand. Why would you need to take her across the cosmos to help her with something?" Steve's folded arms and deep frown told Thor that this wasn't going to be easy if he remained true to his promise to Natasha. The Captain looked positively thunderous.

"Because it was what she asked me that necessitated the visit to Asgard." Thor said cryptically.

"What the hell did she ask you, Thor?"

"That I cannot tell you, Captain. I gave her my word that I would disclose to you, and you alone, where I had taken her but I cannot tell you any more because she asked me to keep her purpose secret."

Thor held up a hand when Steve opened his mouth to respond. "What I did not promise her is to keep from you what I told her before she embarked on this...quest."

Steve looked as though he wanted to punch a wall...or Thor. "What I told her was that we have all done things we are not proud of. I reminded her that you were not a man to judge people for their past. I told her that you know that your life and your heart are safe in her keeping. That she needed to remember that her heart and life are safe in your hands as well. I told her to let you love her. She is worthy of such a man as yourself who is brave, honorable and trustworthy. Also that you are worthy of a woman who will not fear your love and who will be at your side, always."

Steve's stance relaxed as Thor was speaking. Now he turned to lean on the railing around the deck as Thor finished. "She believes that she isn't worthy of me...of us? Is that what you're saying?"

"That is part of it, Captain. However to disclose more would be to dishonor my promise to her. If it helps, my mother told her you were likely to take her in hand when she returns, even if you finally learn the reason for her absence and know that her cause was true and noble." Thor came to stand near Steve and waited for his response.

"Your mother is right, Thor. Right now, I want to find her safe and unharmed, take her home and hold her in my arms for a very long time. Then I'm going to put her over my knee to ensure she won't pull a stunt like this again." Steve's rich baritone held a wealth of reprimand with an undercurrent of fear.

"Please just tell me, if you can," Steve turned to look up at the blonde giant, "Is she in any danger where she is?"

"Of that I have no doubt," Thor said unhelpfully. "Know this, Captain; what she is doing, this quest of hers, is solely to ensure your happiness. I know you are hurt, afraid and angry right now. Lady Natasha may well have earned chastisement, but she truly loves you and is risking everything for you. Do not be too harsh with her when she returns. You will see what she intended to do in due time."

Steve nodded. "I will give that some thought. Thank you for telling me as much as you could. I am still angry with her but I want us to work it out. I do love her, Thor. More than I have loved anyone. I can't lose her now. I just can't."

"You will not, my friend. Believe in her, believe in what you have together. All will be well shortly." Thor turned toward the door into the apartment and opened it, "Banner? May I have a word?"

Bruce came out to join Steve and Thor, "What's going on? Steve? Thor?"

"Lady Natasha requests that you have a trauma unit set up on Asgard as soon as possible." Thor said quickly. There was no use in trying to keep Steve out of this now. He wouldn't rat out Natasha but Steve should know the bare minimum of what was happening.

"A trauma unit?!" Bruce and Steve chorused together, loud enough for Clint to hear as he came boiling out of the apartment behind Bruce.

"What the fuck is going on?" Clint was not tall but he was very intimidating when he was angry.

"Apparently I am setting up a trauma unit on Asgard, per Natasha's request," Bruce informed him.

Clint turned to Steve, "I hope when you get hold of her you paddle her ass for putting all of us through this. After you're done, I want a turn. She may kill both of us afterward but it will be worth it. She needs reining in."

Steve looked at the smaller man, grimly. "We have to get her back before we can straighten this out. Bruce, I'm going with you to set that trauma unit up."

"So am I." Clint said.

They all went inside and filled Tony and Pepper in as well. Pepper actually swore then whipped out her phone and started organizing S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel and equipment. Bruce was capable of handling quite a number of medical emergencies but a trauma unit was very specific and needed more specializations and medical machinery. Once everything was in place three hours later, they all gathered in the parking lot of the Tower with Thor, the equipment and the extra staff.

Thor stood in the middle of everyone raised Mjolinir and called out to Heimdall. There was a rush of rainbow light, a gut wrenching twist and the world fell away for all of them.


	12. Can't Live Without Your Love & Affection

Natasha tossed and turned in Steve's borrowed bed. Tomorrow basic started for Steve and she would be face to face with Peggy Carter. Hopefully Erskine would forget what she told him about Peggy's recommendation. Time was running out before Steve underwent his transformation. She needed to move on him soon. Finally, she gave up on sleeping, got up and padded down the hall to Steve's room in the t-shirt and pajama pants she'd packed.

She knocked softly on his door, "Steve? Can I come in for a minute?"

There was an instant response. He practically jerked the door open. "What's wrong, Natalie?" God, he was so cute. He was in similar attire: a white t-shirt and pajama bottoms. It made him look even younger.

Nat didn't say a word, just took his hand, led him to the bed and sat down on it. "Can I stay with you for awhile? I kind of need a hug."

Before he could answer, she slid under the covers, scooted over into the warm, cozy spot he'd vacated and held out her arms. When he balked, she reached up, grabbed his hand and pulled him into bed with her.

"Natalie? Wha...what are you doing? I don't know if this is proper," Steve stammered.

"Come here and just hold me, okay?" She turned her back to him then and snuggled down under the blankets.

Steve's mind was short circuiting. He wished Bucky were around to talk to. He'd never dreamed that Natalie or any woman would be asking him to hug her in bed...or anything else in bed. When she stayed where she was and he determined he wasn't hallucinating, he gingerly got under the covers and slipped his arms around her, careful not to touch anything. He even kept his pelvis back and away from her shapely bottom.

Natasha didn't move, just waited for him to settle and figure out where to put his hands. Despite her trepidation, his familiar scent and touch lulled her to sleep in his nervous arms. Steve, on the other hand, didn't sleep a wink for the rest of the night.

In the morning, Nat woke early and quietly went to the bathroom to shower and dress. When she came out, Steve was in the kitchen, making coffee and frying eggs for the two of them. "Thank you for last night," Natasha said, startling him.

His face flushed scarlet but he smiled. "You're welcome. Did you sleep okay?"

He looked tired. Nat supposed it was because he hadn't been able to sleep. "I did. That's what I'm thanking you for. It was nice to just be near you and feel secure." Thank the gods he wasn't mad at her for springing that on him.

Natasha moved closer and took the spatula away, "I'll finish this if you want to go shower and get ready." Steve nodded and hurried off.

When he came out a short time later in his uniform, she had the coffee poured with just the right amount of cream and sugar and the eggs and toast made. They sat together and ate their breakfast quietly. Together they cleaned up the kitchen, put the dishes away then shouldered their respective duffle bags. After Steve locked up, they walked together to the bus depot.

Natasha kissed him quickly on the cheek when she saw the SSR sign on one of the buses. "I'll see you in Jersey."

Steve smiled and gave her a quick peck on the cheek back. "I can't wait."

After arriving in Fort Lehigh, New Jersey, Natasha was shepherded to a supply building away from the barracks. They gave her two more full uniforms with pants and one with a skirt. She planned never to wear that one; it was itchy, woolen and ugly as hell. When they weren't looking she tossed the government issue underwear and bra. She'd brought her own and they were much more comfortable.

A nervous looking private escorted her to the SSR barracks. There, she found she had a modicum of privacy with a curtained off sleeping area, changing room with a door and a bathroom on site. After putting her things away and storing her bag under the bed, she checked to make certain Heimdall's tokens were safely hidden on the underside of the desk with tape. The same private came back and told her that Agent Peggy Carter would like to have a word.

Natasha followed him to the parade grounds where the newbies were all lined up. She was just in time to watch a beautiful dark haired woman deck one of the new recruits. It obviously wasn't Steve, the guy was too tall and too muscular. As she walked around the troops, she could see the woman's name tag: Carter. She saw Steve next, he was fighting back a smile. Probably in response to watching Agent Carter knock private what's his name on his ass.

"Agent Carter? I'm Natalie Rushman."

The woman turned and had to look down a little to meet Natasha's eyes. She looked to be in her late twenties and about five foot seven inches tall.

"Hello! Yes, lovely to meet you, Agent Rushman." Peggy shook her hand then turned back to the troops. Just then a jeep drove up and a full bird colonel got out and walked toward them.

He turned his attention to the man still sitting on the grass. "Get up, back in that line and stand there until someone comes and tells you what to do."

The private, whose name was Hodges, tried to salute and stand at the same time and failed at both. The colonel ignored him and spoke to the company. "I am Colonel Phillips..."

Natasha was too busy watching Steve to pay attention. He was woefully undersized among taller, burlier men; standing tall, listening to every word the Colonel was saying. Peggy poked her in the side and whispered, "Coffee after this?"

Nat zoned back to the present, "Sure."

The soldiers were sent out to the obstacle course then and Nat went with Peggy to the officer's mess hall. The coffee was strong and only drinkable with a large amount of sugar and cream but she'd take it.

"I'm excited to have another woman to work with," Peggy was saying as they sat down.

"Thank you for giving me this opportunity," Natasha said sincerely.

"We have a project going on that is quite secret," Peggy informed her. "One of the new soldiers here will be chosen for it. I'd like you to keep an eye out for any of the recruits who demonstrate outstanding abilities beyond just being a good soldier and report them to me or to Dr. Erskine, right away."

"You mean like, honesty, bravery, stubbornness?" Natasha asked.

"Something like that. We're looking for a regular Boy Scout, if you will. Someone whose ethics, heart and drive are above the rest. Meanwhile, we'll have a few other things for you to do like code breaking, hand to hand training, firearms training; but picking the right recruit takes precedence over all the rest." Peggy explained.

"Got it," Nat said, "I won't mind that at all."

"All right, well let's get out to the obstacle course and observe, shall we?"

Nat had to admit, Peggy was truly lovely and her charming British accent added to her appeal. "I'm with you."

After an hour or so of watching Steve nearly fall off the rope ladders, getting pinned by barbed wire when Hodges, the recruit Peggy had belted, kicked a support out next to him, and wheeze his way around the track, Natasha was fighting with her instincts not to go kill Hodges on general principles. She had to admit though, Steve had grit. He never complained, never gave up; never griped about Hodges or any of the other men, he just keep trying over and over until he improved.

As ordered, she went to find Dr. Erskine and reported to him everything she'd seen that day. He listened with great interest when she talked about Steve. "I believe I will come to the grounds tomorrow to see how our young man is myself. Maybe it is time for the little guy to be recognized."

The next day, as promised, Dr. Erskine came out to watch, accompanied by Colonel Phillips. The recruits were being put through their calisthenics by Peggy while Natasha took notes on their individual performances.

Nat was too far away to hear what Erskine and Phillips were talking about but she nearly had a heart attack when Phillips pulled the pin on a grenade and tossed it into the midst of the soldiers. She and Peggy were already moving toward it when Phillips yelled, "GRENADE!"

All of the troops scattered...except Steve who threw himself around it to presumably contain the coming explosion. She and Peggy skidded to a halt when Steve noticed their approach and waved them off. "GET AWAY! GET BACK!"

"It's a dummy grenade," Phillips yelled out.

"Is this a test?" Steve sat up and looked to the Colonel.

"He's still skinny." Phillips said and walked off. Dr. Erskine was grinning from ear to ear and winked at Steve as he followed Phillips off the grounds.

Peggy and Natasha were still trying to get their rioting pulses calmed back down and sat down hard on the ground against a truck. "Fuck me," Nat said, as she blotted the sweat off her lip. "I thought he was a goner. I may need to change my underwear now though."

Peggy looked at her then laughed her ass off. "Oh you and I are going to get along just fine."

Natasha couldn't help it. She liked Peggy Carter a lot. She grinned back and went to help Steve up. He was still shaking but composed. "Let's go get a beer. Peggy? You want to come?"

"Yes, of course," Peggy got to her feet and the three of them went to the officer's mess for a cold one. They were all enjoying their beers and making Steve blush when Dr. Erskine came into the mess.

"So, Steven Rogers from Brooklyn, how would you like to be a volunteer for a very important, extraordinary procedure?" Dr. Erskine pulled up a chair and sat next to Steve and Natasha.

"What kind of procedure?" Steve looked curious and his blush faded.

"A procedure of creating a Super Soldier, my friend. If you agree, we will do this tomorrow." Erskine went on to describe in detail what would occur and how he hoped Steve would transform. "This could assure us, the United States, of maintaining a position as a world leader and completely defeating the Nazis. If this works, we will soon have an army of these Super Soldiers and wipe the Nazi plague and all other hate mongering regimes from the earth."

Steve looked at Nat, Peggy then finally back to Dr. Erskine. "I'm your man then, Doctor. I've got nothing to lose and everything to gain."

"You are already a good man, Steven," Erskine said proudly. "We will just make you into a better one. I do not think we could go wrong with you."

"Is this procedure dangerous, Dr. Erskine?" Natasha piped up. She knew damn well it was from reading the Project Rebirth file but she couldn't allude to that.

"All experimental procedures carry a certain amount of risk, Agent Rushman. Rest assured though, we are taking every precaution to be certain Steven comes to no harm."

"I'm willing to take the risk if it means helping my country." Steve said definitively.

"I will come by and see you later then," Erskine said. "Oh and don't finish that beer. No more fluids today for you. You will be sequestered until tomorrow when Agents Carter and Rushman escort you to the lab. All right?"

After he left, Peggy rose, "Come on, Steve. I'll show you where you are going to bunk tonight. You will be locked in and under guard. It's mostly so no one can bother you tonight but also so that you don't get cold feet."

"I won't ma'am. I am ready to do what I need to for my country." Steve seemed to already be standing taller.

Together they walked to Steve's new accommodations. All of his things had already been brought over so he didn't have to do a thing. The building he was housed in even had a private bathroom. They stood with him while he looked around. Peggy finally said something.

"Steve...I'm very glad he picked you. There isn't anyone better for this. Agent Rushman and I have been observing you and gave Dr. Erskine our recommendation for you to be the test subject. I want you to know I will be there and so will Agent Rushman, every step of the way."

"Thank you, ma'am," Steve said, smiling.

"Well, we are off. You get some rest. It is your big day tomorrow." Peggy turned and walked out the door.

Natasha paused a minute and whispered. "I'll come back and sneak in to see you tonight, if you like."

Steve's eyes widened, "You can do that?"

"Do you want me to?"

"Yes, very much. Thank you, Natalie. I'll wait up for you."

"See you soon," Nat pressed a quick kiss on the corner of his mouth then hurried after Peggy Carter.

Much later, Natasha crept out of her barracks and made her way over to where Steve was housed. The lock presented no problem, avoiding the guards was a little trickier but she managed. Once she was inside, she re-locked the door and whispered to Steve who was lying on his bunk, reading a book about the SSR.

"Hey, I'm here."

Steve nearly dropped the book he was reading. He sat up quickly with a beaming smile. "You came!"

"Of course I did. I said I would,"

Nat went to him and pulled him up so she could hug him properly. Steve's arms immediately tightened around her and he buried his face in her hair. "I'm so glad you came, Natalie. After tomorrow, I'll have a new bigger, stronger body. I hope we can still be friends...and that you might still want to be my girlfriend one day."

She pulled back, "Steve, I like you. I don't care what the outside looks like. I'm sure I'll like you whatever happens during the procedure tomorrow. Don't forget though, I liked you when I first met you, just like you are."

He smiled then, "You always know what to say to make me feel better."

"Maybe I can show you as well." Natasha made up her mind. It was now or never. She leaned in and gave him a tender kiss that soon turned into something else. Steve tightened his arms around her and when he pulled her closer, this time she didn't pull back.

To his surprise, she skated her hands down his back to his ass and pulled him tighter to her. His cock was already ahead of him apparently in reaction time because it was pressed between them, hard and ready for whatever was happening next.

Natasha noticed that the serum apparently hadn't altered everything because what was poking into her abdomen was his original equipment and it was impressive on its own just like it was in her own time. That really made her think of present day Steve and catapulted her into a level of passion that she had missed for the past few days.

She opened her mouth and urged his lips apart. Her tongue was a hot, quick wetness in his mouth and he tentatively reciprocated. When she got his tongue, she sucked on it, drawing a deep guttural moan from Steve. Gently she pushed him back onto the bed and lay down next to him.

"Let me love you, Steve. I want you to have a memory of us before the serum. I want you to know that you are handsome and desirable in any form. What you look like isn't as important as what kind of man you are and you are exactly the kind of man I could fall in love with."

He stared into her green eyes not quite believing what she was saying. "You...you want to..."

"It's called sex, Steve. And yes, I want this. Don't you?" Natasha sat up, unbuttoned her blouse and was soon in her bra and panties.

Steve watched her with an almost glassy-eyed fascination. "Natalie, are you certain?" His voice was the baritone she loved but it had a tremulous quality at the moment. She hoped she wasn't giving him an asthma attack.

In response, she took his hand, put it on her breast and kissed him thoroughly again. While he was busy putting all that together, she lifted the hem of his t-shirt and pulled it up, breaking the kiss to get it over his head. She was pleased when he put his hand back on her breast once it was off.

"You are so beautiful," Steve whispered reverently as he ran his hand down the column of her neck to her waist. She unhooked her bra and tossed it aside to give him something to do while she fiddled with the knot in the drawstring on his pajamas.

"Lay back," she ordered him softly. His eyes rose from her cleavage to her eyes and found her smiling.

"Have you done this before?" Steve asked abruptly. In his little world, all women were virginal goddesses.

"Yes, I have. It was with someone I loved however if that helps." That wasn't totally a lie, it just skated around the truth a bit. She was proud of herself for resisting an eye roll.

"Oh...I haven't." Steve was blushing again.

"That's fine, Steve. Everyone needs to learn. It really isn't as scary as you think it might be." She grinned at him and kissed him harder and deeper. Soon he was trembling again and this time it wasn't from fear. She'd managed to get the knot loose on his pajama pants and started to slide them down his hips, then stopped.

"Steve? Is this okay with you? I don't want to force you to do anything you don't want to do." She met his eyes squarely and waited.

He studied her face, her eyes and her mouth and made a decision, "I want this more than anything."

"Well, all right then." Natasha finished pulling his pants off then wriggled out of her own underwear and lay next to him on the narrow bed.

The way he touched her, the way he looked at her, was so familiar yet so foreign with this body. She felt worshiped, loved, wanted...needed. He hadn't gotten below her waist with his hands but what he was doing was wonderful. He was a quick learner as she gently explained where to put his hands and why.

Since she outweighed him, she figured it would be better if he were on top to give him a modicum of control. She maneuvered him over her and kissed him deeply. Steve pushed up on his arms and looked down into her beautiful eyes.

"Natalie, you are sure?"

It echoed with her back to the night a short time ago when Steve Rogers gave her the same choice due to his gallantry. "I am very sure."

He gasped when she took hold of his length and guided him into her body. She knew before he thrust once that he wouldn't last. That didn't matter. He needed this. He needed her and by all the gods she was going to be there for him.

"Natalie..." her name fell from his lips like a prayer as he began to move. Nat stayed fairly still. He wasn't quite ready for enthusiastic sex just yet and she didn't want to break his rhythm of discovery.

Just as she guessed, it didn't take long. His eyes locked onto hers and she smiled up at him, stroking his back in encouragement and whispering how good he made her feel. She could feel him inside her, feel him trembling above her and heard the deep moan from his soul as he reached the pinnacle.

"Oh god, Natalie..." He arched into her and came hard. She followed him a moment later and he stared in wonder as she climaxed around him. The beauty of the moment was imprinted on him forever.

"Don't pull out. Not yet." Nat pulled him tightly against her chest. His weight was negligible on her. He leaned in and kissed her passionately as though they hadn't just made love. He couldn't get enough of her kisses, her taste, the way she felt inside and out.

"That was so beautiful." Steve reached up and stroked her hair with one hand and kept the other arm around her, holding her tightly to him. "I never knew it was this special."

"It is when two people really care about each other," Natasha told him.

"I...I love you, Natalie."

"I love you too." That wasn't a lie either, she realized.

They lay together, still joined and talked for awhile. Steve became concerned that he was crushing her but she wouldn't let him roll off.

The wonderment on his face convinced her that she had indeed done the right thing for him and for herself. Even after sex, he remained humble, sweet, endearing, and very concerned that she might become pregnant. Natasha explained to him that she couldn't have children and not to worry. That made him a little teary until she told him that was okay, she'd adopt if she wanted any kids.

Soon she let him lay next to her and said her good nights with a kiss. He watched her as she got dressed then put his pajamas and t-shirt back on. When they were both clothed again, she pulled him in for a hug and another deep kiss. "I've got to go in case they check up on you. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

He was reluctant to let her leave but said nothing except, "Good night, Natalie. Sleep well and I love you."

"I love you too, Steve." She gave him a little wave before she slipped out into the night.

She made it across the compound safely. Once in her quarters, she rummaged through her bag and pulled out a lightweight vest. It was made of adamantium fibers by Stark Industries and could stop a fifty caliber round. Nat tucked it into her jacket then stealthily skittered across the base to Dr. Erskine's lab. She knew he worked late most evenings. Looking through the windows, he was there, alone and packing large blue filled vials into a container.

"Dr. Erskine? May I speak with you a moment?"

He looked up, startled at her voice, "Of course Agent Rushman. Please come in."

"Dr. Erskine, if I ask you to do something as a personal favor to me, will you do it and not ask me any questions?" Natasha waited.

"That depends on what it is, my dear," Erskine replied with a thousand questions in his eyes.

She pulled the vest out of her jacket. "Will you please promise me that you will wear this under your clothes all day tomorrow while we do the procedure on Steve and not take it off until I tell you to?"

He looked at her quizzically. "You want me to wear a vest? That's the favor?"

"That's the favor. Please, Dr. Erskine. It is vitally important that you do this for me." Natasha looked at him so earnestly that he chuckled.

"All right. It is a small thing to do. I will wear it." He took the vest from her and looked it over carefully. "What is this material?"

"I can't tell you that or why it is important. I'm sorry." Natalie kept her gaze steady.

He sighed. "I will put it on first thing in the morning, under my clothes and wear it, but afterwards, I would like you to tell me what this is all about."

"If I can, I will. Thank you Dr. Erskine. This means so much to me that you can't possibly know." She shook his hand and scooted out the door. Once outside, she melted into the shadows and made it back to her quarters undetected.

She lay down, not bothering to get undressed. Revelry would wake her in the morning and she would take Steve to his fate. Her time here was running out. She had a few more things to do before she could leave.

The next day, Peggy shook her awake before revelry even sounded, "Come on, Natalie. We've got a date with Steve's destiny."

If she was surprised by Natasha being in bed in her clothes, she didn't mention it. Nat rolled out of bed, ran a brush through her hair and applied a little lipstick. "Ready when you are boss." Peggy had to smile at that. As soon as Peggy's back was turned, Nat grabbed on of Heimdall's golden tokens and slipped it into her pocket along with a tiny flash-bang grenade, then followed Peggy to collect Steve.


	13. A Hero Arises

Steve kept trying to catch her eye in the car on the drive to where the procedure would take place. As a result, he was trying to chat with Peggy since Natasha was blatantly ignoring him and proving that despite everything, he still couldn't talk to women.

Peggy was staring at him after his last disastrous paragraph. "You really don't have any idea how to talk to women, do you?"

Steve turned pink and looked up just in time to catch Nat looking at him. She quickly winked and shot him a sweet grin. He visibly relaxed seeing that she was okay and evidently had no regrets about last night. When the car stopped outside an antique store, he got curious. "What are we doing here?"

"Follow me please," Peggy ordered. The two of them diligently did as she asked and wandered inside.

The old woman greeted Peggy while Nat quickly grabbed Steve's hand and pulled him close. "I'm really proud of you," she whispered in his ear then dropped his hand and stood looking very professional as the old woman activated a hidden door on the back wall of the shop. The women put Steve between them to walk through the doors and down a long corridor to the lab.

When they crossed through into the lab, Natasha immediately waved to Dr. Erskine. He smiled at her then unobtrusively opened his shirt so she could see the vest. The relief on her face was evident to him and he wondered why.

Peggy and Steve were already half way down a flight of stairs to the main floor. Natasha hurried to keep up. All around her equipment and machines buzzed and hummed. There was an attractive man in his twenties who seemed to be adjusting dials and switches on one of the control panels. He looked very familiar. Suddenly it hit her, that was Howard Stark, Tony's father.

She moved close to Dr. Erskine as he told Steve to remove his hat, tie and shirt. "Where is the serum?"

"Right here," He opened a large case to show her thirteen vials of an electric blue liquid. "Twelve of these will be inserted in the machine and will be injected into Steven to start the process."

"What happens with the thirteenth one?"

"That is just a spare."

"May I have it please? For posterity?" Nat grinned at him.

"Of course you may, Agent Rushman. I am assuming that you want it for your friends at the SSR. Since we are all on the same side, I have no problem with it." Dr. Erskine said.

"I promise not to sell it to any Nazis," she told him and he grinned back at her.

She slipped the vial into her bra when no one was looking. This time, they were going to maintain control of this and not lose it to a rogue Hydra spy. She'd studied the file, read the witness statements of what had gone wrong in the Project Rebirth lab that day and intended to keep it from being destroyed.

Steve lay back on the table. He looked much smaller and more fragile in the over sized equipment. Nat went to him and squeezed his hand. "You're going to be just fine, soldier."

"Thank you, Nat..er..ma'am." Steve remembered they were supposed to be just friends. He didn't look fine, he looked nervous as hell but was very composed. He jumped when a nurse jabbed a needle in his arm and gave him an injection.

"That wasn't so bad." Steve breathed a sigh of relief.

"That was penicillin." Dr. Erskine said dryly and patted Steve's shoulder.

"Agents Rushman and Carter, perhaps you would prefer to be up in the gallery." Erskine suggested.

"Very well," Peggy said and started up.

"You go on, Peggy, I'm going to stay here." Natasha said, looking pointedly at Erskine. He got the hint and dropped the matter. Peggy gave her an odd look then shrugged and went upstairs into the viewing gallery. Natasha could see Colonel Phillips among the throng behind the glass. She stepped back and stayed behind Erskine as much as she could.

Dr. Erskine handed her a pair of goggles wordlessly. She put them on and patted Steve's arm when she hoped no one was looking.

"All right, Mr. Stark, let's begin." Erskine ordered.

Howard pressed some buttons and threw a lever while the nurse placed the vials in the machine. A number of wicked looking rectangular pads with dozens of needles in them descended onto Steve's body. There was a hiss as the fluid was injected into his major muscle groups. Howard pressed another button and the table Steve was on tilted up as huge panels closed over him making a large metal container that looked uncomfortably like a coffin.

A technician hooked what looked like a massive hose into the back of the box Steve was in. Howard looked to Dr. Erskine, who then gave the signal. "Proceed, Mr. Stark."

Howard turned a large valve on one of the panels and a brilliant light crackled through the lab. Natasha instinctively closed her eyes against the brightness. Even with the goggles on, it would knock out her vision the same as a sustained camera flash. She couldn't afford to make a mistake now.

There was a single, drawn out masculine scream from inside the box and Nat thought her heart might just stop. Peggy came barreling out of the gallery, "Shut it down! Shut it down!"

Steve's strong baritone could be heard over the shouting. "NO, WAIT! I CAN DO THIS!"

Nat and Erskine exchanged a glance. She nodded her assent and he turned back to Howard. "Continue, Mr. Stark." And Howard turned the valve to one hundred per cent.

There was a monumental flash of lightening throughout the room which shorted out most of the equipment and shocked several SSR scientists who were standing much to close to the machinery. The metal box containing Steve tipped upright and the steel panels separated to reveal a six foot four inch Super Soldier whose name happened to be Steven Grant Rogers. Natasha couldn't quite stifle her gasp as Dr. Erskine and Howard helped Steve out of the box just as Peggy ran up.

Peggy seemed to be entranced, she stared at Steve open mouthed and for a single instant, reached out and touched his chest before handing him an SSR t-shirt. She seemed to realize what she had done and was now clenching her fist in denial as the rest of the gallery ran into the room. Just as Steve got the shirt on, there was a tremendous explosion from the vacated gallery and shards of broken glass rained down on all of them on the lab floor. Steve instantly shielded Natasha with his body while Howard yanked Peggy to the floor under the edge of the panels to protect them both.

A split second later gun shots rang out. Nat pushed Steve off and with a flick of her wrist, tossed the tiny flash-bang grenade toward the original explosion where it made a hell of a noise and tons more smoke. Staying low, she dove for Dr. Erskine's legs to knock him down out of the line of fire. Someone was swearing loudly in German, then more gunshots and Peggy leaping up to follow the shooter up the stairs, her gun drawn and jacking a round into the chamber as she ran.

Natasha drew her own gun, turning back toward Steve who was leaning over Dr. Erskine on the floor. She scrambled to them just as Erskine was pointing a finger at Steve's chest, then he passed out. Steve's face turned very angry and he was up and out of the room, following Peggy before Nat could stop him. While everyone was focused on picking themselves up and making certain all limbs were intact and without bullet ventilation, she checked Erskine's pulse – he still had one, even with the obvious scorch marks from bullets on his white lab coat. She hoped the vest had held. She slipped the vial of serum and the golden token in his pocket, whispering "Heimdall!" as loudly as she could while scuttling backward out of the range of the coming rainbow light. Erskine's form shimmered and disappeared.

Under cover from the additional smoke, Natasha picked up a razor sharp shard of glass and deliberately nicked her scalp with it then lay on the floor and feigned unconsciousness. All of it had happened in seconds. Hopefully in the confusion no one would remember who did what.

"Miss! Miss! Agent...Rushman!" Howard Stark was shaking her.

Natasha opened her eyes and looked at him blearily. "What happened? There was an explosion...gunshots, I tried to fire..."

"Oh god, you're bleeding. Let me help you." Howard fished a very expensive monogrammed handkerchief out of his pocket and pressed it to her scalp wound. Natasha let him help her to her feet where she swayed convincingly enough for him to practically carry her up the stairs to street level. Gunfire was still blazing outside so they opted to hide behind the heavy wooden counter. Sadly they found the body of the old woman who had let Peggy, Nat and Steve in before.

Peggy was brushing her skirt off in the middle of the street amidst a number of exploded and burning cars. Steve was no where in sight.

"Peggy, are you okay?" Natasha ventured.

"I'm fine," Peggy was more pissed off than anything and her accent had become more clipped. "Steve's after the assassin. He saved me from being run down though."

"Shit. I'm going after him then; he's unarmed." Natasha said, holstering her gun.

"No, wait. I've got a car coming around. We'll go after him together." Peggy smiled and squeezed Natasha's shoulder. "Oh my god, what happened to your face?" Peggy noticed she was bleeding.

"Just got cut with some of the shrapnel glass, I guess." Nat said.

"She got knocked out for a second, too." Howard added as he came up behind them.

"Natalie, you must go to hospital and get checked over." Peggy was horrified she'd gotten hurt.

Natasha shook her head, "I'm really okay. It hurts more on my scalp. You know head wounds bleed like crazy. I'll stop in at the medics when we get back to base. Probably will need a couple of stitches."

"Darling, I'm so sorry you were hurt," Peggy's concern was real and very sweet.

"Thank you. I'll be fine."

The car Peggy had ordered pulled up and they all piled in, following the trail of wrecked cars down to the docks to find Steve. When they arrived at the docks everyone was pointing so they went that way. Steve was standing over the body of a man who was frothing at the mouth.

"What happened?" Peggy ran to him first.

"I don't know," Steve said. "It looks like poison. He told me he was the first of many, and that if we kill one, two more will take it's place. Then he bit his tooth and started foaming at the mouth."

"Hydra." Peggy and Natasha chorused, looking at each other. "And most likely a cyanide pill hidden in that tooth from the looks of it," Peggy added.

Steve looked up from the body and saw Nat with half of her face covered with blood. His heart nearly stopped. "Nat...um, Agent Rushman...you're hurt!" He suddenly remembered who else was there as well, "Agent Carter, Mr. Stark? Are you both all right?"

"Yes, Steve, we are all quite fine." Peggy informed him.

He strode over to Natalie, and quickly realized their size differential had significantly changed. He tipped her chin up and studied her face with concern in his blue, blue eyes. Natasha couldn't form words for a moment. Here was her Steve, in all his six foot four inch glory once more. She felt a twinge of guilt. Hopefully when he got over being mad in their real time, they'd be a couple again. And she was betting he would be extremely miffed with her if he wasn't already. Unless he picked Peggy. Then she would quit the Avengers and disappear because she wouldn't be able to stand them being together. It would simply hurt too much.

"You okay?" Steve's rich baritone was in exactly the register it should be and she shivered.

"I'm always all right," Nat said and smirked at him. He frowned at her. It was an unexpected response and she frowned back.

Steve turned to Peggy and Howard but didn't leave Natasha's side. "You're sure you two are all right?"

Peggy nodded assent. Howard was too busy poking through the pockets of the assassin. Steve held out a hand to Peggy, "I'm really sorry, Agent Carter for knocking you down back there."

"It's fine, Steve. I know you were only trying to protect me." She patted his arm distractedly then turned her attention to Howard.

"May I speak with Agent Rushman alone?" Steve asked.

Peggy looked back and forth between Nat and Steve. Nat looked clearly confused as to why he would want to speak to her. Steve looked a bit annoyed. Peggy shrugged, kneeling down to help Howard with his search of the assassin's corpse. "Of course. She's a grown woman, she isn't my subordinate, she can make her own decisions."

"Come on," Steve got hold of her upper arm, gently but firmly and walked around the corner, into an alley where they couldn't be seen from the street.

"What is it, Steve?" Natasha sounded irritable. Her head actually did hurt where she'd stabbed herself and she wanted to get back to base, get sewn up and lie down.

"Natalie, I'm sorry I had to leave you back there. I felt it was important to catch that man for questioning." His wonderful, familiar face was taught and concerned. Nat knew every plane, every angle, every curve of that face by heart. Something wrenched inside her with a longing so deep and so pure that tears came to her eyes.

What. The. Hell. She never cried. Certainly not over what amounted to a little scratch and a boyfriend with hurt feelings back home.

Seeing her eyes well up, Steve was aghast. He pulled her to him, and held her. "It's okay, I'm here, Honey. I'm so sorry you were hurt."

He knelt down on one knee and sat her on the other. Nat was appalled with herself when she wrapped her arms around his neck and sobbed. She had a brief flashback to their first meeting on the helicarrier when Steve had come looking for her after the Hulk nearly killed her. He'd been so kind and gentle with her then. Just like he was now.

"Steve, I'm so sorry. I'm usually not like this." She sniffed, fished a tissue out of her pocket and blew her nose.

He took the tissue from her and blotted her eyes. His smile was a look of pure love. "Hey now...don't ever apologize for how you feel. Now you listen to me or I'll spank you." His rough silky voice wrapped around her and made her feel safe.

Natalie tried to laugh but it came out more of a choked sob. He had no idea who she was or what she was capable of and here he was threatening to spank her, the infamous Black Widow. It was absolute irony because she was fairly sure that Steve from her time frame who knew exactly what she was and what she was capable of would be promising her the same thing when she got back.

"You could have been killed today, honey. Dr. Erskine...I wish I could have saved him." Steve didn't sound too steady himself about that detail.

"That bomb, Natalie. You got hurt and I had to leave you. I'm sorry that you had to worry about me as well. Peggy nearly got run down by that man and it was just luck that I got there in time. Let's get back to base, get you doctored up and some food in both of us."

Natasha numbly nodded. He set her on her feet then tipped her chin up and kissed her tenderly. He tucked her under his arm to walk her to the waiting car. Peggy and Howard rounded the corner in time to see Steve opening the rear door for Nat and sliding into the back seat next to her.

Howard drove them all back to base where they saw to Natasha's head wound, got cleaned up and got some food. When they checked in to SSR's headquarters, Colonel Phillips was arguing strenuously with Senator Brandt. Steve walked in, keeping a safe distance between himself, Peggy and Nat. Phillips rounded on him telling him that he was going to Alamogordo before stomping off.

Senator Brandt made Steve a better offer: An immediate promotion to Captain and a way to encourage everyone to join in supporting the war effort. Steve looked at Nat and Peggy who were both grinning like fiends. "Thank you, Senator. Any way I can serve my country, is a great honor."

Since Steve was now the new poster boy for Uncle Sam, he was to be immediately sent on a USO tour around the Washington D.C. area while Peggy and Nat were to be sent overseas to do some spying for SSR. There was little time to be together or even say good-bye. Steve was barraged for endless blood draws, and every other biological sample you could think of. The night before she shipped out, Natasha made another clandestine run through the woods around the base. She waited until she saw all Steve's bunk mates heading for the local watering hole.

Slipping up next to Steve's window, she caught his eye and beckoned him to follow her. As he emerged from the barracks he saw her lithe form scampering into the woods on the other side of the road. He pulled his coat collar up and jogged after her. After he entered the woods, he saw her further down a path, leading away from the base and headed toward her. She put a finger to her lips, caught his hand and pulled him along until they were so deep in the trees they couldn't see the lights from the base anymore.

Steve caught her up in his arms and lifted her so she was eye level with him. They hugged each other tightly in the moonlight. "Natalie, god, I've missed you." Steve's sweet baritone was music to her heart.

"I know, I've missed seeing you too." Nat snuggled against him as tightly as she could. It was just nice to be in his arms.

He slid her down his body until her feet were back on the ground. The newness of his form made him curious as to how it would be to really kiss her with the height difference between them. Nat lifted her mouth to his willingly, reaching up on her tip toes to narrow the distance between them. To Steve she felt tiny, delicate and soft in his arms. When he ran his hands down her back and over her arms he could feel hard muscle beneath the silken skin. It was something he hadn't noticed before when they had been more on par with their height.

He caught her mouth in a deep, sensual kiss. As she responded, his body now ignited every protective instinct, every deeply male urge within him. Natasha felt him harden against her stomach and felt herself getting noticeably damp. Breathless, she broke the kiss and looked quickly around. "Over there," she pointed.

Steve scooped her up in his arms and moved to where she indicated. Her weight was negligible to him now. She was slender and lithe but there was strength and power in her too. He carried her to the little glade within a circle of trees. He lay her down and followed her to the soft, dry forest floor, inserting a knee between her thighs and pulling her tightly against him.

She struggled, trying to get a hand between them to remove clothing but he stopped her with a kiss. "I don't know how long it will be before I see you again. I want to enjoy the moments we have if that's okay."

Nat looked up into those mesmerizing blue eyes of his. He was looking at her with so much love and adoration that it nearly choked her up again. She really didn't deserve him. He was a gentleman, a kind, sweet, nice man. His eyes were full of the wonder he'd had their last night in his apartment...and of her last day with him in her own time.

"Okay," she said, and kissed him again. Steve rolled, pulling her on top of him so that she was off the ground. He sat up, dragging her legs around his waist and pressed her close, breathing in the scent of her hair, her perfume, her unique scent.

Natasha smoothed her hands over his muscled back and now broad shoulders. It was as if her hands were thirsty for the sculpt of his body. She ran her tongue over his full lower lip, then inside his mouth, taking her time, enjoying every breath he took. He was rock hard under her butt and it made her wriggle trying to press against him.

"Can you hold me if you stand up?"

"You hardly weigh anything. I'm sure that won't be a problem," he smiled at her.

She scooted off him and took off her pants and underwear while he got to his feet. Reaching out, she opened his trousers pushing them and his briefs just past his hips.

"Put me up against that tree." Steve lifted her and did as she asked, bracing her against a large oak. Nat wrapped her legs over his arms and around his waist then reached down to guide him inside.

"Oh Natalie..." Steve groaned as he seated himself deep in her warm, wet, canal.

"Hold me steady. Just like that." Nat's back was against the rough bark but he was strong enough not to allow her to slip while he drove into her slow and hard.

"I love you, Sweetheart..." His breathing was faster, his hands cupping her bottom.

Natasha clenched tightly over him, wanting to hold him inside her as long as she could. The extra friction she provided brought new enthusiasm to his thrusts. "I love you," she whispered into the shell of his ear.

"Oh god, honey..." His voice deepened to a new timbre.

"Yes, Steve...just like that...more...I need you..." Nat moved with him and he gasped at the additional stimulation. "I need...oh yes..."

Steve took her mouth in a bruising kiss. He quickly found the new rhythm she set, managing to gain a fraction more inside her. She was sucking on his tongue, rocking her hips into every thrust. Suddenly she cried out against his mouth, her body caressing his, pulling him deeper inside as her climax broke. Steve's body shuddered, taking him to heights he never imagined as he poured into her.

As they floated down together, they clung to each other. He stroked her hair, murmuring endearments. She just held him tighter, not wanting any of this to end. Gently, he disengaged from her and tucked everything away. He reached down and retrieved her panties and slacks then held them for her to step into. As she buttoned and zipped everything up, he picked a stray blade of grass from her hair with a chuckle. "We need to find a bed next time."

"That would be optimum." Nat smiled up at him, reaching up and pulling him down for a kiss. Steve held her for a long time, enjoying the kisses, the gentle touching, committing every moment with her to memory.

"Steve, do you feel any different?" She asked him suddenly.

"Taller...but I think I'm still me in here." He smoothed her hair back from her face.

Natalie looked him over for any stray forest scruff, noticing his captain's bars and the SSR insignia that now adorned his lapels and epaulets. "Hey, you outrank me now." She grinned up at him.

Steve laughed, "I guess I do. That means I have to give you an order."

Nat raised an eyebrow at that, "What kind of order do you think I'll follow?"

He raised his own eyebrow and tilted her chin up, "The one where I tell you to take care of yourself until I get there. I will not be understanding if you get hurt. If you get hurt, I'll put you over my knee."

She had to laugh at that. His skinny version couldn't have managed it. In this body however, she might be in trouble. His genuine concern was endearing and so much from this era. "I'll do my best to remain in one piece."

"You'd better." Steve patted her butt for effect and winked at her.

Nat glared at him, "Jesus, help a guy grow a foot and he gets cocky."

Steve laughed at that. "Natalie Rushman, will you be my best girl?"

That stopped her. "Steve? Are you sure you want that?"

"I definitely want that. I want you, Natalie. I love you." Steve took off his dog tags and put them over her neck.

She sighed and looked up into that shy smile that quirked his mouth at the corner. "All right, Steve Rogers. I'll be your best girl. I hope you don't live to regret that."


	14. London Calling

They walked back to the base hand in hand. At the edge of the compound, Steve wrapped her in his arms once more and kissed her.

"I'm going to miss you, Sweetheart, more than I can say."

"I love you, Steve. No matter what occurs, please remember that I loved you for yourself and always will." Natasha's green eyes bored into his blue ones.

"I love you, too, Natalie. I don't want anyone else. You are perfect for me and always will be."

Steve cupped her face and dragged his thumb across her mouth. "I hope I can make you proud of me."

That cut her like a knife. "I am always proud of you, Captain Rogers. Remember that."

"I'll see you across the Pond." He reluctantly turned from her and walked quickly back to his barracks. Natalie watched him until he disappeared into the evening fog then went to her own bed and fell almost instantly asleep.

In the morning Nat, Peggy and Howard went to see Steve off on his USO tour before they boarded their own plane for England. Steve was sporting a new set of dog tags, apparently his had gotten lost somewhere. He and Nat managed to remain cool and not cry during their 'official' good-bye but his eyes and hers were suspiciously damp as he boarded the train with his new entourage.

Natasha mouthed, "I love you," as the train pulled out. Steve gave an almost imperceptible nod and waved at the three of them. No matter what else happened, Nat knew that she had been privileged to see Steve Rogers in his most pure and undamaged form. Hopefully the rest of her plan would come together and he could have at least part of his life back.

There were a lot of questions surrounding the disappearance of Dr. Erskine from the lab during the assassin's attempt and subsequent explosion. No one could remember anything other than it appeared he had been shot and had simply vanished into thin air. Natasha was questioned along with everyone else but pointed out she'd been injured and unconscious by the time everything went down. Howard backed her up, describing how he had revived her and tended to her head wound. Peggy had gone after the assassin and killed his driver so she was cleared. Steve had given a statement to Colonel Phillips before he left. He'd been chasing the assassin down the street at the time; he was cleared as well. No one appeared to be lying or covering up so the matter was closed.

Nat, Peggy and Howard flew to London in Howard's private jet. They checked in with their SSR liaison and got settled in. For their first mission Peggy took them both to scope out some Pubs then to the USO. They were looking for a specific group of men who were rumored to be selling secrets to German spies. Natasha was in her element and grateful to have something to do besides miss Steve.

Nat insisted on going out alone after the first sweep of the area. Peggy refused, saying that she and Steve would be furious if anything happened to Natalie. Howard was simply a jackass who had to tag along and got under everyone's feet. Nat managed to not roll her eyes and murmured a 'thank you for your concern' with a smile then ditched them both at the earliest opportunity.

Using her own instincts honed by years of successful espionage, Natasha checked some of the seedier Pubs on the East End of London. She was wearing her Black Widow cat suit under a tear away blouse and slacks. That way if she had to fight, she could without being hindered by non-stretchy fabric. Even with her bright red hair, she was able to move unobtrusively in the shadows, listening for any foreign accent or dialect.

Eventually she wound up tailing a dark haired Royal Air Force (RAF) officer as he made his way down alleyways and streets. There was a white church on a corner and her target slipped inside. She recognized the area as being Spitalfields; an area once haunted by Jack the Ripper in 1888.

Natasha glided around the perimeter of the church, looking for another way in. The gate to the tombs beneath the church did not remain locked for long. Slipping inside, she made her way through the untidy stacks of coffins until she found stairs going up. Testing each step before putting weight on it, she eased up and opened the door at the top. There were two men sitting in a pew near the front.

She could just make out what they were saying in German. Her target, the RAF officer was telling the other man about some supply routes and shipments. Money changed hands and the two men parted. Nat flipped one of her Widow's Bites onto the second man and he dropped without a sound. After cuffing him and gagging him, she went after the RAF officer. She found him quickly enough, darting through the same alleyways he'd come through earlier. Stun, cuff and gag and she had her second man. She made certain to collect the spent Bites so they wouldn't question the technology then found a cop and had him get word to Peggy to send transport for her prisoners.

"Well done, darling!" Peggy was absolutely jubilant. "I was very cross with you for leaving Howard and me but you do have some skill!"

"Thanks, Peggy." Natasha said. She looked like the cat who ate the cream.

As a result of her arrest of the two spies, an entire network was brought down and ally supplies and weaponry were saved. Nat was given a distinguished service medal for her trouble and treated to a drink by Colonel Phillips and Peggy.

With the SSR unit being everyone's darling of the moment, Steve was recalled and sent over to meet up with Colonel Phillips regiment. He'd been doing his Captain America song and dance routine, resulting in bond sales exploding. He wound up at a base camp in Germany about thirty miles from the enemy front lines. It was pouring down rain as he sat alone under a shelter, drawing with his sketch book.

Peggy and Natasha were walking through the camp, when they spotted the tall, lonely looking figure. Peggy called out, "Steve?"

He half turned toward her, "Oh, hello Peggy."

"Captain Rogers." That voice brought him to his feet.

"Nat..Agent Rushman!" It took all of his willpower not to scoop her up and shower her with kisses.

She slowly raised a hand to her neck and showed him she still wore his dog tags. That brought a shy smile that warmed her against the damp chill.

The women joined him under the awning to chat for awhile. Peggy couldn't wait to brag on Nat's spying skills and that she had brought down an infiltration ring single handed. Steve's eyebrows shot up and he stared at Natasha.

"You took down two spies by yourself?"

Nat blushed and nodded. "I have many skills," she said with a smirk.

"You weren't hurt were you?" Steve's blue gaze became decidedly less friendly and his tone more stern.

"Goodness no," Peggy said. "She didn't have a scratch or even a speck of dust on her."

His relief was apparent. The thought of his petite girlfriend risking her life rattled him more than he cared to admit. Peggy glanced down at his drawing tablet. He'd drawn a flag and a dancing monkey.

"Is that what you think you are? A symbol for the war or a dancing monkey?"

"I'm serving my country, just not the way I figured since I'm wearing tights." Steve said unhappily.

"You have the ability to change your destiny, Steve." Peggy scolded him. "Be more than what they're asking of you."

Just then a convoy of wounded rolled up into the compound. "They look like they've been through hell," Steve said.

"That's the remainder of the 107th," Peggy said. "The survivors were the ones you entertained today. The rest are dead or captured."

"The 107th?" Steve ran toward the commander's tent with Peggy and Natasha right behind him.

"Sir," Steve saluted Colonel Phillips, "Could you please let me know if Sergeant James Barnes with the 107th is accounted for?"

"Son, I've filled out a lot of these condolence letters today. That name does sound familiar. I'm very sorry." Phillips looked tired and worn.

"Are you going to rescue the rest of the men that have been captured?" Steve asked.

"No," Phillips said flatly. "I'd lose more men than I would save. Of course you can't understand that because you're a chorus girl."

Natasha's eyebrows rose and she drew a sharp intake of breath. Peggy kicked her in the ankle and shook her head. Steve turned and marched out without waiting to be dismissed. He headed straight for his quarters and started packing a duffle bag. Natasha finally noticed that he was still in his Captain America uniform.

"What are you going to do?" Peggy asked him, standing in his way so he had to stop and listen to her.

"I can't just sit here and let those men die," Steve told her.

"Those men are thirty miles behind the enemy front, Steve," Natasha interjected. "Are you going to just walk into Germany and get them?"

Steve stopped and stared at both of them. He looked at Peggy first. "Did you mean what you said when you told me I could be more than what I am?"

"Every word," Peggy said.

He turned to Nat, "Would you still be proud if I did nothing and let those men die?"

"Steve, I told you I am always proud of you." Nat said.

"Natalie, I can't just sit there when there is a chance for them. You have to let me go." Steve's eyes were pleading for her understanding.

"I can do better than that," Peggy said. "Howard will take you."

"And I will go with you since you are so determined to pull this off," Natasha said definitely.

"I can't let you do that, Natalie." Steve took her gently by the shoulders.

"You're not letting me do anything, Captain Rogers. I'm going whether you 'let me' or not." Her face took on a stubborn look that he'd never seen before.

"I can order you to stay." Steve warned her.

"You can order all you want. Doesn't mean that I'm going to comply." Nat told him just as strongly.

Steve's brows knitted into a frown, "You are asking for trouble, Agent Rushman."

Peggy chuckled behind her hand. It turned into a snort-cough when Natasha and Steve both glared at her. "Come on, if you're going to do this, you have to get going right now."

Ten minutes later they were all seated in Howard's plane. Steve and Natasha were still arguing as they took off.

As soon as they were in the air, Howard was flirting with Peggy and Natasha. "How about we stop in Lucerne for a little fondue?" His tone was smarmy and Steve's mouth fell open.

Steve was aghast. He looked at Peggy and Natasha, "Fondue? You call it fondue?" Both women ignored him and told Howard to shut up.

Natasha was trying very hard not to get mad. Steve was new to this whole man-woman thing, he'd been raised to be a gentleman, but he was also raised during an era when men told women what they could and couldn't do regardless if they outranked them or not. He wasn't really trying to bully her, he was trying his level best to protect her from his point of view. He was wholly unfamiliar with her ability to fight or her skill set. Since she obviously was outright defying him, he was growing more frustrated with her.

"You are staying on this plane, Agent Rushman and returning to base with Agent Carter and Mr. Stark. That's final." Steve was indeed angry.

"You can't give me orders, Rogers." Natasha finally said, hands on her hips, glaring at him as he prepared to jump out of the plane.

"The hell I can't," Steve told her, "I'm a Captain."

"Bullshit." Nat snapped. She grabbed a parachute, secured the straps around her waist, checked her sidearms, and leaped over Steve out of the airplane, into the darkness just as anti-aircraft guns started firing on the plane.

"Damn it!" Steve swore and turned back to Peggy. "When I get clear, you turn this thing around and get the hell out of here."

"You can't order me either," Peggy said smugly.

"The hell I can't. Do it." Steve snapped at her.

"Godspeed, Captain," Howard yelled back.


	15. Night Rescue

Steve parachuted down, unbuckled the rigging and started looking for Natasha. He hadn't gone far when an arm snaked out from behind a tree and yanked him back. He spun, shield up, ready to smash the enemy in the face and discovered Natasha crouched down and pointing. He looked and saw a convoy of trucks approaching on a nearby road. He'd nearly walked out onto it.

She raised a finger to her lips for him to be still. There was a full moon out and he could see her quite clearly. What the hell was she wearing? Nat had decided that her 21st Century spyware was best for a night time black ops and had taken off her uniform. The skin tight black leather suit fit her curvy form like a glove. She had duel pistols strapped to her thighs and what appeared to be a utility belt around her slender waist. She looked small, very dangerous and sexy as hell.

Steve felt desire slam into him like a freight train. Mentally he shook himself. This was not the time nor the place for any thoughts but his mission of rescuing the men. Natasha was completely oblivious to his reaction. She was studying the trucks, mentally counting their possible troop capacity, noting that the rear truck was riding higher than the fore trucks. She signaled Steve again for quiet then beckoned him to follow as she began her run toward the back of the last truck.

It didn't occur to her to see if he followed. She leaped lightly onto the back bumper then vaulted inside. When Steve joined her less than ten seconds later, the two German soldiers were dead and Nat was stuffing her garrote back into her belt.

He stared at her, "Did they teach you that in Agent training?"

"Something like that," Nat had a smug smile on her face.

"You are a handful, young lady." Steve pulled her to him and kissed her. As he ran his hands over her, he discovered she was very heavily armed despite the tightness of the suit.

Natasha pulled back and smiled up at him, "You mean I'm still asking for trouble?"

"You had better not ever attempt a stunt like that again." Steve admonished her.

"Or, what?" Nat goaded him. It was better if he were mad at her instead of mooning over her right now. He needed to focus.

"Keep pushing and you'll find out." Okay, bossy Steve was actually pretty hot. The censure in his voice tweaked at some issues in her psyche.

"Oh baby, I like trouble." Nat breathed in her most sultry voice as she hopped up, grabbed the cross beam on the back of the truck and swung out.

Steve's heart was in his throat as he quickly followed her. He moved fast for a man his size and he caught up with her just as she leaped into the middle of six heavily armed German guards. Within seconds, she had spun, kicked, flipped, garroted and stabbed all of them. He stared at the damage she had inflicted open mouthed. She kept walking without looking back. She stopped when she got to a high wall.

"Which way?" She whispered.

He pointed up in answer. She nodded and took a small gun out of a back holster hidden under her hair, aimed it at the wall and fired. There was a quiet puff and the rope attached at the top with an adamantine hook. A little future tech that he didn't need to know about. Nat shimmied up the rope then reached down to give him a hand up.

He took a run at the wall, hit it about half way and grabbed her hand. She yanked and he pushed with a foot. Instantly he was next to her on the top.

"Go." She said impatiently.

Steve moved off, taking a direct route across the top of the wall then leaping over to some shipping containers and across another barrier. Natasha landed a half a breath behind him.

"Orders, Cap?"

He turned to look at her in disbelief. "NOW you want to take my orders?" He glared at her.

"You're the strategist and tactician, I'm the spy and the killer. Tell me what you want."

"Follow me; stay close."

She watched him with his shield in one hand and his side arm in the other. It looked odd since it was the old style shield and not the circular vibranium one she was used to him carrying.

Nat wanted so badly to tell him that she trusted his leadership and judgment in combat. That she had willingly followed him dozens of times and he had never steered her or the other Avengers wrong. He couldn't know her true purpose. The fact that she was going to have to leave him and go back to her own time, knowing that he was going into the ice for seventy years after literally saving millions of people wrenched at her heart.

She angrily wiped the tears out of her eyes and kept close to him as he'd asked. The few guards they encountered were quickly neutralized by his shield or her skills. Steve darted into a building and she followed. It was immediately apparent that it was a detention block. He made short work out of two of the guards inside the door, plucking their keys from their belts and tossing a set to Nat.

"Get these cells open. I'll have them follow you out of here. I'll meet you in the clearing where we landed. I'm going to sweep the compound and see if there are any more."

He went down one side and she went down the other. Soon all the prisoners were released. One of them came forward, "Who are you?"

"I'm Captain America," Steve said. "Follow her out of here, kill anything in your path; get tanks, trucks, whatever we can hijack."

They all stared at Natasha. "Come on boys, it's a long way home." She beckoned them and they dutifully followed her.

Steve asked some of the men if there were any others on site. They told him about a building which no one ever returned from and he headed that way. Inside he found a map with strategic targets marked. He committed as much as he could to memory then heard what sounded like a voice coming from nearby.

He rounded a corner and saw to his horror, a man strapped to a metal table. As he came up to release him, he saw it was Bucky. "Bucky! Oh my god!"

Steve used his shield to free his friend and helped him down. "Bucky, it's me, Steve."

"Steve?"

"Come on, I've got to get you out of here."

"I thought you were shorter."

"I joined the army."

Natasha waited with the former prisoners and all the equipment they'd managed to steal at the rendezvous point. She was pacing, waiting for any sign that Steve had gotten out okay. It was obvious that she knew he had but it didn't make the moment any less nerve racking. Soon she could dimly make out two figures on the road. One was tall and straight, the other slouched and dragging his feet. Her heart leaped with joy but she kept quiet and melted back into the shadows.

As soon as Steve joined them with Bucky, he put his friend in one of the trucks. "Lets go. The sooner we are out of here the better. We can camp for the night a couple of miles ahead."

They all obeyed him without question, even Natasha. She walked beside and a little behind him, not sure if he was even speaking to her at the moment.

"Hey," she said, "Are you okay?"

"I found Bucky." Steve said.

"That's wonderful, is he okay?" She knew he wasn't but that was information she couldn't share.

"He will be with some food and rest," Steve answered without looking at her.

She decided not to press, they'd be stopping for the night soon enough. As they walked, she was pondering a lot of things. She knew when and how Bucky died. Would it be better to whisk him off now? Would Steve be able to handle the situation on the train without backup from his best friend? What if Steve fell? No, that was too terrible to think about. Vaguely she wondered if Heimdall's token would work mid-air. What if Bucky fell and she leaped out after him? Would Heimdall be able to snatch them literally out of the jaws of death? If she and Bucky died would Steve be able to handle it in either time frame?

Steve stopped dead in the road and turned to call a halt. Natasha, her mind on other things, ran smack into him. Steve steadied her with a gloved hand, his expression unreadable. "Everyone off the road; tanks and trucks over there where the ground looks solid. Everyone else, get comfortable and rest. If you've got rations to share, spread them around. We leave at first light."

They whole company moved at his command. Steve turned his attention back to Natasha. "Agent Rushman, come with me, I need a thorough debriefing on what happened in the Hydra base." He said it loudly enough for the men to hear.

He kept his hand on her shoulder and marched her deeper into the woods. Setting up camp with trucks and tanks makes a lot of noise so their progress through the forest was muffled. There was a large fallen log up ahead. Steve steered her to it, sat down and regarded her with a steely gaze. She'd seen that look before when he and Tony were arguing on the helicarrier back in her own time.

"Natalie, I want an explanation from you for tonight. Jumping out of the plane against my orders; those clothes you are wearing, your fighting abilities and equipment. It's obvious there is a lot you are not telling me."

What the hell had happened to her sweet, adoring Steve? Extra testosterone since his conversion? "Are you reprimanding me? Why? Because I could handle myself despite your preconceived idea of what a woman is capable of?" She crossed her arms and glared at him.

Steve's frown deepened. He ached to hold her. He wanted to impress on her that it was his job to keep her safe and that she needed to follow his orders to the letter on the battlefield. Also, she was lying to him. That much was very clear with her evasive deflection. They both continued to glare at each other.

Nat finally spoke. "The phrase you're looking for is, 'Thank you for your help and having my back, Natalie.'"

When he didn't respond right away, she said, "Fine. You want to spend time out here chastising me instead of kissing me? Have it your way."

She turned and started back the way they'd come, her back ramrod straight. Steve caught her before she'd gone three steps. He spun her around and pulled her into a tight embrace. He was shocked when he drew back to look at her and found tears in her eyes. She was trembling in his arms. What he didn't recognize was that she was angry and the tears were from frustration.

"Sweetheart...what?" His concern and confusion were real. Natalie realized she had made a tactical error. She'd given too much of herself away. There was no way in hell she could explain it truthfully without disastrous consequences. Time for another deflection.

"Steve, there is no way I can tell you everything I know. I am in the espionage division of the SSR. I would appreciate it if you would just trust me for a change and recognize my help when I can give it."

Her voice was cold and level despite the tears in her eyes.

Realization dawned for him then. She was right. He was a soldier, she was a spy. She really couldn't tell him everything despite his higher rank. She was also right that he had handled this badly. Well, he was new at this being a Captain and being a boyfriend thing.

"I'm sorry, Sweetheart, you're right. I shouldn't have questioned your motives."

"Don't call me that when you just chewed my ass." Natasha said, standing absolutely still in the circle of his arms.

"Natalie, I was terrified you would be killed when you jumped. I let that cloud my judgment. Can you forgive me?"

"Fine." She said after a long pause, giving him a halfhearted pat on the back. If he'd really known her he would have recognized that a one word answer from her was a warning. Her Steve would have known.

"Really?" Steve's gloved hand cupped her chin and tilted her face up to look at him. He had a gentle smile and his eyes weren't angry anymore.

She knocked his hand away, "I said, fine."

He kissed her then because he didn't know what else to do. His mouth was soft on hers, gently urging her lips apart. Natasha resisted for a moment, then let him in. The change was immediate when he felt her thaw. Pulling her tightly against him, Steve kissed her thoroughly until they were clinging to each other a little breathy from desire.

"I love you, Sweetheart. Please be as patient with me as you want me to be with you." Steve kissed the top of her head and stroked her hair, pleased that she was leaning against him with her arms around his waist. He never wanted her to be without the shelter of his arms.

Natasha sighed. He was right, she needed to remember that just a short time ago he could hardly speak to her without stammering, also he wasn't actually the Steve she knew. Now, they were both facing a possible court martial when they got back to the base and Phillips got a hold of them. "I love you too."


	16. Returns and Orders

They'd spent an uncomfortable night resting against the tire of one of the trucks. Steve offered to hold her but she insisted that she be treated just like one of the men. That galled him but one look at her green eyes told him to leave it alone. He was learning, he just didn't have to like it.

The next day they started their push for Phillips' base camp. Bucky was feeling better and joined Steve and Natasha at the head of the throng with a rifle in hand. Bucky kept staring at Natasha. It didn't escape his notice that Steve had adjusted his stride so she could easily keep pace with him.

"You going to keep ogling my girlfriend, Bucky?" Steve's tone was teasing and warm.

"I'm going to keep ogling both of you, actually." Bucky countered.

Natasha choked back a laugh. It was good to see the two friends with their easy banter. Keeping Bucky alive was her top priority. If she had to sacrifice herself, she would. Steve needed his 'brother' to live.

"I am curious though," Bucky said, "I'm wondering how long ago did you two decide to get together?"

Steve opened his mouth but Natasha chimed in. "Actually it was right after we had sex for the first time...before he got the super soldier serum. Best lover I've ever had. And now, he's even better because that serum enhanced EVERTHING. Right, babe?" She smacked Steve on the butt and he jumped.

Nat looked smugly at Bucky's incredulous face and Steve's blushing one. "I'm gonna ride for awhile. You two carry on with your chat."

She dropped back and hopped on the running board of the nearest truck as it rumbled along the road, enjoying the breeze in her hair.

Bucky stared open mouthed at her and tripped over a rock. Steve grabbed him before he face-planted on the road, his own face scarlet but with an ear to ear grin. God, he loved that woman.

They marched into base camp to the cheers and whoops of their fellow soldiers. Peggy came running out with Howard right behind her. Colonel Phillips pushed through the crowd just as Steve led everyone up.

"Some of these men need medical attention. I will submit myself for disciplinary actions, Colonel." Steve saluted Phillips.

"I don't think that will be necessary," Colonel Phillips smiled.

"Thank you, sir," Steve looked relived.

Phillips looked down at Nat and beckoned her over. "You, however, young lady. Did you jump out of that plane after Captain Rogers told you not to?"

"Yes, sir, I did. Captain Rogers did not feel he needed back up. It turns out he was correct. He handled the entire mission flawlessly." Natasha had snapped into parade rest and saluted the Colonel. She shot an angry glare towards Howard and Peggy, both of whom were smiling without a clue of what was going on.

"You are lucky he was in charge of you and not me. I would have paddled your butt after a foolhardy move like that." the Colonel informed her.

He looked back up at Steve. "Take her outside the camp and spank her privately. That's an order, Captain. We can't afford to lose an Agent like her. You can debrief me when you get back."

"You come to the debriefing with him after he's done with you," Phillips pointed to Natasha.

"Sir?" Steve spoke up, "I..uh...Agent Rushman was an asset on the mission. I had no plans to subject her to disciplinary action."

"Good thing I'm in charge then," Phillips said over his shoulder and he returned to his tent.

Steve looked at Nat, "I will fix this." He started for Phillips tent.

"Steve...Captain Rogers...wait." Natasha rolled her eyes.

"Natalie? Surely you don't think I'm going to follow that order."

"No, I don't expect you will. Do me a favor? Will you please wait for me at the SSR tent? I have to turn something in." She smiled at him and he couldn't refuse her. As soon as he was around the corner she ran to find Bucky. She found him talking to a couple of the men they'd rescued. He glanced at her. She beckoned to him then took off the opposite direction, away from the center of camp.

Bucky found her about twenty yards into the woods. "What's going on, baby doll?"

"Spank me."

Bucky thought he heard her wrong, "What? Why in the hell would I spank you?"

"Bucky please. Phillips ordered Steve to do it and we both know he won't. I need your help." Nat grabbed his arm, pulled him to a boulder and pushed him against it.

"Baby, you have got a crazy way of letting a man know you love him. Steve might just kill me if I hurt you."

"He won't. Right or left handed?"

"Right...but, Natalie, I really don't want to hurt you either."

She ignored him and moved to his right side then lay over his thigh. "Do it."

"Okay, baby doll but I'm not going to enjoy this any more than Steve would." He braced her against his leg and did as she asked.

It occurred very rapidly to Natasha that she was never going to be into any sexual spanking games. Bucky apparently wasn't either because she was right against his groin and felt nothing but his leg muscles as he held her steady. Meanwhile, she mentally chastised herself and was actually crying by the time he stopped. That seemed to upset him.

"Oh my god, baby girl, I really hurt you. Shit." Bucky ran his hand through his hair and pulled her into a hug. "I'm so sorry, honey. I just did what you told me to."

"It's fine, Bucky, really. Thank you. I need to talk to you later anyway, right now I have to find Steve before Phillips does." She hugged him back quickly then bolted off to find Steve with Bucky right behind her.

They found him pacing outside the tent and skidded to a halt. Steve took one look at Natasha's tear streaked face, then at Bucky's frowning one as they ran up to him and put it together.

"You spanked her? Jesus, Bucky...what the hell? Sweetheart, are you all right?" He tucked her into the shelter of his arms.

"I asked him to, Steve because I knew you wouldn't. Don't be mad at him. And yes, I'm all right except my ass stings." Natasha said through her tears. "Phillips is going to want to see us. I need you to be brave and crack me across the butt a couple of times. Hard."

"What?! NO!" Steve said in alarm.

"Steve, what did I say about trusting me? Just do it." Nat said.

Reluctantly, he tucked her under his left arm, braced against his left thigh and smacked her twice as she'd asked. Nat bit her lip when he connected. Those super soldier muscles were the real thing and that stung.

He let her go, looking at her reproachfully then drew her into his arms. "Honey, please don't ask me to ever do that again."

"Maybe on my birthday," Nat tried to smile through her tears but it came out more like a grimace. She grabbed his right hand and looked at the palm. It was deep pink from connecting with her leather clad ass. That should prove to Phillips that Steve had done as he'd been ordered.

"Be right back. Stay there." She disappeared into the tent she shared with Peggy.

Peggy was there, waiting for her. "Darling I'm sorry. I never thought that Phillips would order Steve...oh my god! He did? He really spanked you?" Peggy was staring at her tears.

"Yup." Natasha shimmied out of her suit and put it away then dressed in her uniform, slacks, blouse and jacket in full view of Peggy. She didn't tell Peggy it was Bucky and not Steve. She wasn't sure if that wouldn't get back to Phillips.

"You sure you didn't rat me out on purpose?" She stepped up to Peggy. "Because I thought we were friends."

"No, Natalie, I swear I was just relating the story. I actually think you're tremendously brave and I can see how much you love Steve. I was proud of you, that's why I told Phillips when he asked." Peggy looked truly upset.

"Darling, I would have taken the punishment myself if I had any idea." Peggy actually teared up then. Nat felt badly about making her cry but she'd had to make certain Peggy wasn't a sneaky bitch.

"Okay, it's fine. I'm gonna go with Steve to see Phillips. Can I talk to you after while?"

"Certainly. Of course. I'll be here." Peggy dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief.

Natasha marched out of the tent, saluted Steve and told him to come on and Bucky to stay there. He followed her until they got to Phillip's tent. She stepped back to let Steve enter first. She ducked through after him. Just as she thought, Phillips shook Steve's hand then glanced at it noting the pink color. He offered them a chair, Nat refused and stood, Steve stood next to her in solidarity.

After a few minutes, Phillips was satisfied that Steve had followed orders. He also observed that Steve had a bit of a crush on Agent Rushman. Combat relations rarely lasted. Phillips felt badly for Rogers knowing he would probably get his heart broken. That little girl though, she had more guts than sense and Rogers should be damn glad she liked him. He dismissed them both after congratulating them on a job well done.

Once they got back outside, Natasha pulled him to the camp's main gate. "If you go that way (she pointed up the road) about a mile there is a logging road to the left. Follow that path and you'll come to a lumber mill. Meet me there in an hour. Love you." She blew him a kiss and bolted.

She ran back to her tent, rummaged around in her bag and at her desk. Told Peggy they could talk in two hours. She was out the door again and ran back to where they'd left Bucky. "Come on, Bucky, we need to talk. It's important." He dutifully followed her to where he'd spanked her earlier.

"Bucky, listen," She had to take a minute to catch her breath. He lit two cigarettes and handed her one. She took it and leaned on the boulder next to him. He waited until she took a drag on hers.

"What's going on, baby doll?" His eyes were friendly but serious.

"Can you keep a promise?" She turned to look at him face on.

"Sure I can." She studied his face, he met her direct gaze squarely and she believed him.

"Okay, I'm going to tell you something which you absolutely cannot tell Steve or anyone. This is something that is going to have to remain between us."

Now he frowned at her. Why would she want to keep something from Steve? She saw the suspicion cross his face. "God damn it, Bucky, please just trust me, okay? Like I trusted you."

He searched her eyes, her face. "Okay," he finally said. "I trust you."


	17. Bucky, The Compass and The Lumber Mill

Natasha fished a piece of paper out of her pocket that had one word in block letters: "Heimdall". Then she took out a gold token the size of a quarter and a deep breath to calm her nerves. She handed both to Bucky with the admonishment not to say the word out loud.

Next she got out her driver's license, S.H.I.E.L.D. ID, a picture of her, Steve and Tony Stark in front of the Avengers Tower; and a picture of Bucky on a pamphlet from the Smithsonian at the Captain America exhibit. It included his bio and date of death.

Slowly, methodically, she showed Bucky all the evidence. To his credit, he didn't interrupt her, just listened intently but she could feel his pulse jump beneath her hand when she touched his arm. This was a lot of information and it was terrifying.

"Bucky, I am completely aware of how crazy this all sounds. I am only telling you this because when you two wind up on that train to stop Arnim Zola with only two commandos for backup, I can't be there. If I am there and I interfere the wrong way, I could get myself, Steve, or all three of us killed accidentally. Things have to happen the way they're supposed to. The only thing that changes is you don't die, you get to see the future and you will be with Steve in that future."

Bucky didn't say anything for a long time. He lit another cigarette, offered her another and paced for a few minutes. Natasha waited, letting him ruminate over the terrible knowledge she had given him.

He turned to her suddenly. "Baby doll...er...Natasha, I have heard a lot of crazy shit in my life but this takes the cake."

Nat's heart sunk. He didn't believe her. She'd have to risk being on the train with them.

Then he surprised her. "If you are willing to have Steve's best friend think you're a lunatic, there must be something to this."

"Do you?" Nat asked him.

"Do I what?"

"Think I'm a lunatic."

Bucky looked her square in the eyes and cupped her face with his hand, "No, baby, I honestly do not. This is a lot for me to swallow right now but I believe you. You are absolutely right that we can't tell Steve any of this. If he thought my life or yours were in danger you know he'd go alone and get himself killed trying to protect us."

Natasha was so grateful to him for being perceptive and believing her that she hugged him. He hugged her back tightly.

"Honey, I hope Steve knows what a treasure he has in you." Bucky kissed the top of her head.

"Steve! Shit, I have to go. I promised to meet him." Nat grabbed another cigarette and Bucky lit it for her.

"Bucky, remember: Don't call that name until you are on the train about to go out the gaping hole in it's side. Keep that token on you at all times. I will be on a mission elsewhere so when I disappear, it will be in the line of duty."

"Seventy years in the ice..." Bucky paled a bit.

"I know, that part is killing me too but remember he survives and literally saves the world many times over. You will return to the here and now that I left. Steve and I are together then as well."

"And what about you, Natalie..uh...Natasha? When will you appear?"

"Just tell Steve that I loved him, no matter what happens. That he gave me back my life, my heart and hope. Tell him specifically he gave me hope and I will always believe in him."

She started off then turned back, "Bucky...Peggy might be there too. I just want him to have everything he's longed for. I don't want him to have any heartache."

"Peggy? Agent Carter? What does she have to do with Steve?" He looked at her with confusion in his eyes, then she saw the thought click into place. "Do you honestly think he wants Peggy Carter instead of you?"

"In my time, he was still in love with her. He couldn't have her except as a memory. I don't mind being second fiddle but if I can fix this, give him who he is supposed to have then it's worth it." Tears sprang into her eyes at the thought of Steve's unhappiness.

Bucky walked up to her and put his hands on her shoulders, "Oh, darlin', you are selling yourself short. You are forgetting that this Steve who is going to become your Steve is totally and completely in love with you. I'll tell you how I know that. When you hopped on that truck after you told me and everyone else that my best friend is hung like a horse, Steve showed me his compass. Do you know whose picture is in it? Not Peggy Carter's."

"Me? He has a picture of me?" Now she really was crying. She hadn't mentioned the compass with Peggy's picture when she told Bucky the story.

"Oh baby," Bucky hugged her. "How could you not know? He said it was from a newspaper article about how you stopped a hijacking ring. Natasha, he is so proud of you. Don't take that away from him."

Suddenly, Natasha felt very ashamed of herself. She was trying to mold Steve's life into the image she had for him. That made her cry harder on Bucky's shoulder.

"Shhh, it's okay baby doll. It will be fine as soon as we're all together in your time. Now stop your crying and go meet Steve. And don't worry, not a word from me. Train, token, name, and into the future. I'll remember."

Nat looked up to find him smiling down at her. "Thanks Bucky."

"Anytime, hon." He scooted her along with a swat. These forties men, Jesus.

She hot-wired a jeep to drive to the lumber mill. On the way, she stopped and cleaned her face up so Steve wouldn't see that she'd been crying and ask questions. When she pulled up, Steve was waiting outside the main building. She set the brake, jumped out and ran to him. He caught her and swung her around.

"Steve, you know I'd do anything to make you happy, right?"

"Natalie, you already do make me happy. What's this all about?"

"Do you think Peggy's pretty?"

"Wha...Peggy? Agent Carter? I guess she is, I never thought about it." Steve looked sternly at her. "Natalie, what's going on?"

"Nothing. Come on, I want to be with you." Nat picked the lock swiftly and ran inside.

He shook his head and followed her. When he got inside, she was almost completely naked laying on a bed. His jaw fell open.

"Come here, handsome."

Steve dropped the rifle and shield. Nat got up, locked the door and helped him quickly remove his clothes. It was dusk so everything was a little shadowy. A piercing ray of the fading sun was coming through the window and set Natasha's hair to flame.

When she had him naked, she removed her bra and panties but left his dogs tags on. It didn't pass her notice that he was enjoying the view. "Lie down on your back, Steve."

Wordlessly he obeyed her. She straddled him and leaned in for a kiss.

Steve's arms came around and he held her tightly. His tongue swept her mouth, stoking the embers and fanning their need for each other.

Nat moved his hand down between them. When he felt how wet she was, he groaned from deep in his chest. "Sweetheart..." he breathed against her neck.

She raised up, taking his length in hand then eased down over him. Steve drew a sharp breath between his teeth and his hands grabbed her hips. "God, honey...oh Natalie."

Watching her ride him nearly short circuited his thoughts. He reached up to pull her mouth down to his and slung his other arm over her hips, pinning her against him, locking him as deep as he could go. Natalie began rocking her hips; moving him inside her in short hard strokes, while he kissed her.

He rolled them then, keeping an arm under her bottom and lengthening her line for deeper purchase. They were both panting, needing release but unwilling to give up this moment. Nat brought her legs up and around his waist causing him to sink to the hilt.

Steve hadn't thought being inside her could feel any better. She met every thrust, held nothing back as he loved her and she loved him. Too soon, much too soon, he could feel her begin to tighten and a guttural moan come from her throat. "Steve...I love you."

She bucked hard under him and he came an instant later, emptying into her with a gasp. "I love you, honey."

They held each other in the dying light of the day. Steve couldn't stop looking at her face, kissing her, stroking her hair as their bodies finished pulsing together. Natasha let him love on her. After awhile he reluctantly rolled off of her. She sat up, retrieved her bra and panties and put them on. Steve followed suit with his boxers, socks, pants and boots. She shimmied into her clothes and boots then adjusted her sidearm while Steve put his shirt and jacket back on.

They got back in the jeep and Nat let Steve drive them back. He parked it sort of where she'd commandeered it from.

"You stole this?" Steve's disapproval radiated in his voice.

"Yeah, you want to know how?" Natasha's sparkling green eyes and sultry voice told him that she was skirting the edge of being very naughty.

"I may have to rethink my policy of not spanking you." He cocked an eyebrow at her and she laughed.

"So, you take this wire here and this wire here..." She spent the next ten minutes showing him how to hot wire a vehicle in Nazi Germany until he could do it confidently by himself.

Steve walked her to the SSR tent and kissed her good-night. He didn't care who knew anymore. Natalie was his girl and that was that. He ran into Bucky who still looked a little pale. Steve suggested getting some food in the officer's mess, Bucky was all for it.

After they got their food and sat down, Steve had a helluva opening line for his friend. "Do you like Natalie, Buck?"

Bucky choked on his coffee and Steve had to pound him on the back.


	18. A Night to Remember

Natasha flopped down on the bed and ran her hands through her hair. Peggy handed her a cup of tea and sat down opposite her. "Peggy, I'm sorry I thought you were backstabbing me with Phillips. I should have realized you're not like that."

"I can understand how you might have come to that conclusion," Peggy said softly. "It's never easy working with women. We're always so hard on each other."

"That is the truth," Natasha replied. "We're also hard on ourselves."

"No argument there," Peggy said.

"So, are you and Howard a thing?" Nat asked.

"Howard? No, of course not," Peggy sounded surprised. "He's too much of a narcissist. I like men who are more grounded, less selfish."

"Anyone in particular?"

"Well...that new Sergeant; James Barnes is very handsome." Peggy smiled at her and sipped her tea.

"Bucky? Steve's friend?"

"Yes. He's got the most incredible blue eyes." Peggy sounded like a school girl. Natasha knew she was wrong because Steve had the most incredible blue eyes but she kept her mouth shut.

"We should double date sometime." Natasha suggested.

"That would be great fun!" Peggy agreed.

"Listen, Peggy...have you thought about after the war yet? I mean, do you know what you're going to do?"

"Oh, I don't know. I'd like to stay with the SSR. I see it being an organization that can continue to help even in peace time. What about you, Natalie? What do you want to do after all this? Start a family? Marriage?"

"No...well, I don't know. I can't have children but I guess I could adopt. I just never thought of a permanent relationship before being a clandestine member of society," Natasha said ruefully.

"I take it Steve knows all this. It certainly hasn't swayed him away from a relationship with you. I hope you two can make it. I really do. He's a fine man, Natalie. You both deserve to be happy." Peggy's smile and warmth were genuine and Nat had to admit she really liked her. Besides Pepper and Maria Hill, she really hadn't had close female friends. This was new for her but she found she liked chatting with another woman in the same line of work. Peggy certainly wasn't a chickenshit and she'd run her own number of solo missions. Nat grudgingly admitted to herself that Peggy had earned her respect.

"Being a spy sounds so glamorous but we both know the down and dirty side of it," Natasha said.

"Yes, there is that. But you know...when the prize you're aiming for is in your hands, it sort of polishes things back up. There's no reason for you or me to be ashamed of the way we accomplish those missions, Natalie. We are women who understand that sometimes you just have to do what needs to be done. If a mission is successful, we can be proud of the outcome." Peggy rose, got the tea kettle and refilled their cups.

"I try to stay focused on that. The outcome, I mean." Natasha wished that were actually true.

"Hey, why don't we get dressed up and go into town tomorrow? I bet we can find a little bar or pub where we can dance." Peggy's eyes lit up.

"I think Steve, Bucky and a bunch of the rescued men are going into town after the meeting with Phillips after lunch. I can't be too hard to find them." Natasha grinned at her.

The next day, Steve met with Phillips, Peggy, Howard, and some of the top brass in the late afternoon. When he was rescuing Bucky, he'd noticed a map with Hydra bases marked on it. He'd only had time to briefly look at it but he remembered the positions of most of them. Peggy and Natasha stood at the end of the table while Steve explained everything.

"Well, Captain Rogers, it's your map. Think you can wipe Hydra off it?" Phillips clapped Steve on the shoulder.

"Yessir. But I'll need a team." Steve said.

"We are putting that together for you now." Phillips said.

"With all due respect, Colonel, so am I." Steve said. Phillips nodded in understanding.

After the meeting, Steve and Bucky looked for Nat who seemed to have vanished. Peggy was nowhere around either. The new men Steve had rescued dragged him onto a truck with Bucky and drove them to the nearest town for drinks, dinner and a little fun. They wound up at a cozy bar with old world charm, delicious food and dancing. Steve wished that Nat were there with him.

Steve and Bucky excused themselves to the bar while the men drank at a table. They had some catching up to do and Bucky wanted him to fill him in on his relationship with Natalie. Steve's assessment couldn't have been more glowing. Bucky watched with a smile as his formerly socially awkward friend talked about her kindness to him when he was still Skinny Steve. Bucky's opinion of Nat rose even more when he found out she had been honest about making love with him when he was still thin and sickly.

"Gentlemen," a cultured English voice said. Steve and Bucky turned to find Peggy as a vision in red. It accentuated her dark beauty and set Bucky's heart racing. Nat was next to her, looking delightfully wicked in a curve hugging lavender dress. It brought out the green in her eyes and highlighted her red hair. Steve's heart leaped with joy and he kissed her hand gallantly. Nat blushed and smiled.

Peggy informed Steve of an upcoming meeting and mentioned that she was still waiting for the right partner while she knew he'd found his. The women excused themselves to go get a table in the next room where there was a band and dancing while Steve and Bucky paid their bill.

Steve came in first, having no trouble finding Nat and Peggy surrounded by over eager soldiers. "Captain Rogers!" Peggy called to him. "Sergeant Barnes!" She saw Bucky right behind him and waved them over. The circle of men parted looking a little dejected as the handsome Captain claimed his date and the handsome Sergeant swept the lady in red into his arms.

The couples danced together, laughed together and drank together. Peggy excused herself to make a phone call, leaving Nat alone with the men.

The band was playing an Andrews Sisters song. On impulse, Natasha grabbed both of them and pulled them out to dance. She was in the middle with Steve on her left and Bucky on her right. Soon they were all laughing like idiots. When Peggy came back, Bucky grabbed her and the four friends danced together just enjoying being alive.

Last call came and Peggy insisted they leave before the crowds. When they got outside, she announced she had a surprise for them. They all followed her and Bucky down the street turning into a nice part of town from the looks of the buildings. Peggy stopped in front of a beautifully fronted hotel. She handed Steve a room key and Bucky a room key, pausing to look into Bucky's eyes, "If you want to."

Bucky looked shocked then delighted. He scooped Peggy up in his arms and headed into the hotel. "Night, Steve and Nat!"

"Night, Buck and Peggy!" Steve yelled back. He looked at the key then at Natasha. "Is this okay with you?"

Steve Rogers. Ever the gentleman. "It's just fine with me," Natasha gave him a sinful look. Steve lifted her in his arms and carried her in and down to their room. It was beautifully decorated and surprisingly had an en suite to go with it. Steve set her down and looked at her, his eyes radiating love and desire.

"Remind me to do something really nice for Peggy," Natasha said as she melted into his arms and his kiss. Steve lay her on the bed and followed her down. She had a little surprise in store for him and waited until his hand slid up her thigh to discover she was wearing very little under her dress.

The thong proved to be very interesting to Steve who had never seen anything like it. While he was admiring the view between kisses, Nat expertly unbuckled his belt and made the slow clicks of his zipper into an erotic moment. When he was free, she showed him how to move her thong aside and showed him how to touch her while she stroked him. Steve soon pulled her closer, the need for her making him ache.

Natasha pulled him on top of her and gasped as he slid home. She ran her hands down his jacket and under his pants to press on his ass and pull him into her. Steve obliged her, taking them where they both needed to go hard and fast. The storm broke over them together as he welded their bodies tightly. They lay in each others arms, panting until their breathing and heartbeats slowed back to normal.

She got up and did a quick, impromptu strip tease for him then beckoned him to follow her into the bathroom. Steve took off his clothes and followed her. She was in the clawfoot tub with the shower on. Her hand reached through the curtain to draw him in. There she showed him the delights of showering together, soaping him up and rinsing him off. He wanted to learn so she let him wash her hair and her body which he did with such reverence that it made her heart melt.

Their interplay soon had him hard and aching for her again. Nat knelt with a grin on her face and took him into her mouth. Steve nearly passed out from watching her ply him with her hands and lips. He fought the urge to thrust and let her suction and her tongue do the work. It was just so beautiful, until...

"Natalie...stop sweetheart...I'm close...very close..."

She lifted her head but kept working him with her hands, "Steve, it's all right. You didn't have to stop me."

He gave her a sheepish grin with an overtly sexual look in his eyes, "I thought it would be rude..."

She laughed at that. "You really are a gentleman one hundred per cent of the time, Rogers. I love you for that."

He gasped as she dipped her head on him again. This time, she didn't stop and he found something new when she took him deeply into her throat and swallowed at least part of what he delivered. The rest she spat in the tub then let him help her up. When he kissed her, he could taste himself in her mouth. That gave him an idea.

"Sweetheart, is there a way I can do that to you?" Natasha nodded, grabbed some towels and led him back into the bedroom.

They put the towels down since they were still a little drippy then lay down on the bed. She let him explore without embarrassment. He had never seen the entirety of a naked woman and since she was the woman he loved, he wanted to admire every inch of her.

He gently pushed her legs apart and she showed him what to do from there with his fingers and his mouth. When he took an experimental taste she moaned for him. Encouraged, he tried one finger then two, then added his mouth and tongue. Soon, she was writhing under his touch. For a beginner, he was a quick study with good instincts. He was fascinated with the bands inside her; the smooth and rough places that produced different reactions when he pressed them.

Soon he figured out how to coordinate his tongue, suction and his hand until she was nearly sobbing with need. Nat was doing all she could not to buck against his mouth but she couldn't stop it. He brought her crying his name, tasting her orgasm as she pressed into his mouth and pulled his hair.

"Oh, sweetheart that was just beautiful..." His silky baritone touching her as deeply as he just had physically.

He wiped his mouth on a towel then crawled up over her. She reached down to guide him and he entered her to find the remnants of her climax pulling at him.

"Steve, you don't have to be careful. I won't break." Natalie told him.

"I don't want to ever hurt you," He murmured against her lips.

"You won't...let go, I'll be right here with you," she whispered into the shell of his ear.

He gathered her in his arms and let passion take over. It was a rough, wild, hard ride. His body was designed to process the lactic acids that would normally build up in muscles when they're exerted. He simply couldn't tire and his stamina was amazing.

When they finally reached the pinnacle, Nat was grinding up into each thrust. They shattered together and his powerful arms tightened further to hold her to him. It would have been painful if not for the heat of the moment. Natasha pulled him down for a bruising kiss as they floated back to earth.

"Natalie...please don't leave me." Steve said into her neck. He was buried to the hilt inside her and was starting to cut off her breathing from holding her so tightly.

She got an immediate icy chill. Did he know something? Had he overheard her with Bucky? Did Bucky break his promise? She felt a brief surge of panic then gently eased his arms from her rib cage.

"Steve...honey, I need to breathe." He released her instantly but kept his arms around her as tightly as he dared.

"Why would I leave you?" she asked, trying to keep the fear out of her voice.

"I couldn't bear it. I love you so much. I can't lose you." His eyes were truly mirrors to his soul. Love and uncertainty warred in their blue depths.

"I give you my word that now and in the future, we will be together." Natalie realized now was not the time for jokes or sarcasm.

"Really?"

"Steve, I love you. I told you that. Nothing has changed." She kissed him with all the passion she could muster.

When they paused for breath, Nat held his face still and looked into his beautiful eyes as he looked down at her in his arms. She gave him the most sincere oath that she could think of. "No matter what occurs, no matter if we are split up with different assignments; no matter if time itself separates us for a short while, I will find you, Steve Rogers. I give you my solemn word on that. You will not be alone in this world while I still live and breathe."

He gathered her to him and held her tightly, being careful not to crack her ribs. "Sweetheart...will you marry me?"


	19. Training & Strudel

"...marry me."

 _Holy shit._ Natasha nearly panicked. That was unexpected and not intended. She and Steve had just started dating in her real time and had only a space of days together in this time. She was the first woman who'd given him the time of day, the first woman he'd kissed, the first woman he'd had sex with...God damn it, she had fucked up his life already. This is why she couldn't have nice things. She was an idiot. When she got back to her own time she was going to have her Steve spank her for being a dumb ass.

"Wow, Steve, that's really sudden!" She leaned into him and kissed him with all her might hoping he would mistake her trembling in fear for trembling with passion.

"Natalie, you make me so happy. Every day is wonderful with you, no matter how bad the circumstances might be." Steve's real smile was breathtaking.

"You make me happy too, Steve. Really you do." Nat snuggled up against him. "This is so nice of Peggy to get us this room as a present. I really think she and Bucky make a great couple."

"I think we make a great couple," Steve's voice vibrated through her ear. God, she loved his voice.

She stroked his back until she heard his breathing slow and even. He'd fallen asleep and she hoped he wouldn't remember that she hadn't answered him yet. That was a question that should come from Future Steve eventually, not Present Steve. Future Steve wasn't ready for that either, she was pretty certain.

Gently she rolled over. Steve automatically reached for her in his sleep and pulled her into the shelter of his arms. Fuck. Now she was going to have to involve Peggy in this. If Peggy and Bucky were a couple, she didn't want to split them up. Since Bucky knew, she would have to ask him his intentions toward Peggy and go from there. Problem was, she only had one token left. She and Peggy or she and Bucky or Bucky and Peggy...shit and double shit.

She couldn't just pop back to Asgard and ask for another. Odds were that Steve was there because of course he would be, and when the smoke cleared from her appearing out of nowhere she was one hundred percent sure that he was going to want a word or two with her. Plus, Clint...and whomever else was pissed off at her. She was going to wind up grounded until she was fifty and she doubted Steve would be just playfully spanking her if she gave him an explanation he didn't like. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Maybe falling off the train wasn't such a bad idea.

Somewhere between zero dark-thirty and dawn, Nat managed to sleep. The nightmares she had were unbelievable and she woke up screaming twice. Steve held her while she shook and wept, always sweet, always loving, a comforting strong presence to shield and shelter her from whatever came. He stroked her hair, told her sweet nothings in his fabulous voice and made her feel safe.

That was what bothered her most. Present Steve was the epitome of what a man could be before his heart was broken and his soul shattered. Now she realized that any action she took would not change that. Bucky would still vanish, his body never found; Steve's grief would lead him to Red Skull's last lair and onto that plane. Now the last voice he would hear before the ice would be Peggy's, a woman he was supposed to currently be in love with but because Natasha had blown that scenario to hell, he was going to lose Nat too. Well, for seventy years at least. Longer if Future Steve killed her for fucking his original design.

Why...why...why couldn't she have just boffed Steve the Skinny and then popped out? He'd have gotten over it, met Peggy and everything would be fixable. She had weapons, she could shoot herself...no, that would totally freak Steve out plus Heimdall would yank her back through the cosmos if her life were threatened or in danger...wait a minute…Heimdall. Freaking Heimdall.

Now she knew what she had to do. She'd give Peggy the last token, get on that train at the origin site, ride it until Steve and Bucky got there, then before Bucky got punted off the train from a misplaced energy bolt thrown by Captain America's fucking shield, she'd peace out with Bucky. Peggy could come as soon as Steve was a Capscicle.

Then hip-hip-hooray, they'd all be where Future Steve was and she could pray that Thor had those horses nearby so she could get a head start on the pitchfork and torch mob she was bound to encounter.

She liked Asgard. It was pretty and the food was good. She could hide out until everyone simmered down.

The next day they went to Howard's so called lab, to check out a few things he might have for Steve. Peggy and Steve had gone on ahead and Natasha was rustling up some decent coffee for everybody. She came back in the main doors and saw Steve sitting on a table and a very stacked, tall blonde approach him. They spoke for a moment then the blonde grabbed him by his tie and pulled him behind some shelves which were literally in the middle of the room.

Well, that was certainly interesting. Nat decided to peek and see what was up. She was surprised to see the blonde lip locking her Captain. Steve's eyes were wide and it looked like he was panicking from the way he was reaching up to the woman's shoulders. It wasn't to hold, it was to push away.

"Hi Steve! Got the coffee. I can see you don't need me right now so I'll just get Peggy and leave you to it." Natasha shot the woman a murderous look as Steve jumped, wiped his mouth and turned around, tucking his tie back in.

"Natalie! That...that wasn't what you think!" Steve was blushing to beat hell. She handed him the coffee. She believed him. Steve would have had no more social skills to stave off a sexually starved woman as he would have had to kiss her the first time they'd met.

"Peggy and Howard are waiting, I'll be right there." Nat shooed him the opposite direction then turned to the blonde whose name tag said, "Lorraine". Natasha backed her up into the same aisle she'd pulled Steve to.

Lorraine's eyes were wide as Natasha stalked her. "Let me tell you something," Natasha started out, "I know you kissed him because he wouldn't have kissed you first. What you probably don't realize is that I am an assassin SSR hired to keep an eye on him; that includes keeping him safe from vultures like you. Do that again and they will find your strangled ass in the Rhine. Do I make myself clear?"

Lorraine clutched at the pearls she wasn't wearing and nodded, her eyes still wide. Natasha took another step forward and Lorraine backed into a chair and sat down. Natasha reached out to flick a piece of fluff off Lorraine's uniform and the woman fainted.

Smiling to herself, Natasha went to track down Steve, who should be with Peggy and Howard by now. When she caught up with them, Steve was handling a round shield. Nat knew what it was but waited for Howard to explain it to Steve. Steve saw her and turned with the shield in hand.

"How does it look?" He asked.

"Like you're going to need it if you try to fondue with that bleached blonde in the war room." Nat smiled sweetly at him, drew her side arm and fired at the shield. Steve ducked behind it and Howard hit the deck under a table.

"Oh look! It works perfectly," she said after firing four times. She popped the magazine, reloaded, then holstered her gun and sashayed off past Peggy who had come in during the middle of that and was now laughing to beat hell at the expressions on Howard's and Steve's faces.

"F-fondue is just bread and cheese, kid," Howard informed Steve.

Steve hadn't taken his eyes off Nat in case she turned back around and shot at him again. He reached into his pocket to hand Howard a piece of paper.

"I wrote down some ideas for the uniform." Steve was looking a little pale.

"Whatever you want, kid. Sure thing," Howard took it without looking at it.

Peggy shook her head and went to find Natasha, still laughing.

She and Peggy were sitting out on the first couple of Captain America led Hydra raids. Mainly because Steve and Bucky were siding with Phillips about not getting their sweethearts killed. Natasha rolled her eyes and pointed out the fallibility of sexism in battle situations. The men all gave her the "isn't she cute" look which made her seethe. It particularly annoyed her that Steve was trying overly hard to keep her in one piece since he'd seen her in action and knew that she could handle herself.

Deciding to use her time to work off her annoyances and frustrations, Nat took Peggy under her wing and taught her a myriad of fighting styles for hand to hand combat while the men were off saving the world. Peggy was a quick study and not afraid to take a hit. When Captain America and the Howling Commandos returned from their latest outing, Peggy was nursing a sprained wrist and split lip and Natasha had an impressive black eye.

That brought the inevitable concern and scolding from Steve and Bucky and Phillips until Natasha had enough. She picked eight random men told them to fully arm themselves and meet with her on a grassy patch in the middle of the camp. Steve, Bucky, Peggy, Howard, and most of the Howling Commandos ringed them. Colonel Phillips even decided to pay them a visit. Nat winked at Peggy; no small feat with her shiner.

"Okay, all of you come at me at once. Don't pull your punches because I won't be pulling mine." Nat stood there in her slinky black cat suit, seemingly unconcerned, not even in a fighting stance.

"Ma'am?" One of the eight she'd picked spoke up. "Ma'am, none of us want to hit a woman."

"Think of me as the enemy, soldier. I just happen to have breasts. You need to get past that." Natasha said.

"Okay ma'am, then I apologize in advance," He was smirking at her. Natasha never moved just watched as he postured around her. Finally he became frustrated by her lack of response and started taking practice swings. She still ignored him. Then he stepped a little too close. Nat stopped his fist, twisted his arm and flipped him into four of the others watching then stood quietly again. He was twice her weight and had a good six inches in height on her but she flung him like a rag doll.

The soldier got to his feet and charged her like a bull. Nat pivoted and vaulted over him. When he took another run at her another one of his friends tried to join the party. She garroted the friend, spun and locked her thighs around the first man's neck flinging him to the ground, then dropped the second man before the garrote became lethal.

Those two stayed down. The remaining six charged her all at once. Within twenty seconds all eight lay dazed, bruised and nursing minor injuries at her feet wondering what the hell just happened.

"Not bad fellas. A little more practice and you might be able to show a girl a good time." With that Nat, who wasn't even sweating or breathing hard, sauntered off to change back into her regular uniform. The soldiers all applauded her departure, even the ones whose asses she had just handed back to them.

Phillips whistled low and slow, looking at Steve. "You sure you don't want her training your guys, Captain Rogers?"

Steve was staring opened mouthed at his petite girlfriend as she walked back to the SSR tent to change. "I'll talk to her about it right away, sir."

Bucky stared at Peggy, "You're learning how to fight from her?"

Peggy patted his cheek gently with the hand that wasn't bandaged, "Yes and just remember, you spanked her. Be glad she doesn't hold a grudge." She waltzed off after Nat, leaving Bucky standing with Steve looking after both of them in absolute awe.

"Wow," Bucky said.

Steve nodded, "Exactly what I'm thinking."

From then on, Natasha taught the entire camp hand to hand combat with Peggy at her side. Steve quickly learned not to underestimate her and improved his skills significantly. Like everything else he tried, he was a quick study and excelled in hand to hand. Nat trained him more intensively than the others. He didn't tire, he could take a hit and he didn't bitch.

As the men improved, they had fewer casualties when Captain America and the Howling Commandos went on their Hydra busting runs. Natasha and Peggy were now invited to join the fun since they could handle themselves and weren't the proverbial damsels in distress. Nat was pleased to be bringing a little twenty-first century to the chauvinistic forties.

She was having trouble getting Bucky off by himself for the talk she needed to have with him. Either Peggy or Steve or both were always around and this wasn't a conversation for witnesses. Finally she grabbed him and a jeep for a run into town ostensibly to get some goodies for the troops. They skedaddled out of there before anyone was wiser. Once they were out of sight of the camp, Nat brought up the subject of Peggy.

"You two seem to be really good together," She watched Bucky for his reaction closely. The shy smile and blush told her most of what she needed to know. She needed his confirmation.

"She's really a great dame...er...woman." Bucky grinned.

"Are you guys serious about each other?"

"I think so; I've never met anyone like her." Bucky confirmed.

"Regarding our prior conversation about the token and the name you're not to mention until the last second on the train, would you want Peggy to jump forward with us?" Natasha pulled the jeep over and stopped for this part.

Bucky brightened up almost instantly. "Is that possible?"

"Yeah it is but we are going to have to plan this very carefully. You're going to have to do most of the explaining to her because it was hard enough getting you by yourself. I don't want to think of the logistical nightmare of getting you and her but leaving Steve out."

"Steve's going to be left all alone when he goes into the ice, Natasha. I don't think I can live with that." Bucky's eyes pleaded with her to think of something.

"Well, here's the plan I came up with. We have to extract you and me on the train. Peggy will stay until she talks Steve through the crash, then she can come forward to us. Do you think she'd be able to do that? It's a hell of a thing I'm asking, I realize that. The thought of Steve having to go through all this tears at me like I can't even describe. Then I remember he's alive and well and happy when I knew him. It makes it all bearable but only just." Natasha had to look away and blink back tears that suddenly formed.

"You really love him, don't you?" Bucky squeezed her shoulder.

Nat nodded and smiled, shaking off the tears. "Yeah, I really do. I think I actually fell in love with him when he was still Skinny Steve. The body he has now is just a bonus prize."

"Natasha...what made you want to do all of this in the first place?" Bucky's question hit home and she visibly flinched.

"You. I wanted to save you so that Steve would have his best friend with him again. He blames himself for your death. I wanted to bring Peggy too so he would have the first woman he fell in love with but I kind of fucked that up," Natasha said ruefully.

"And that Doctor...Erskine?"

Nat nodded again. "He was the first person to really believe in Steve and gave him this chance. Steve has always thought highly of him."

"But when did you decide this? You said you've known Steve for a year. Why now?"

"We have just recently became a couple. He's such a good man and I wanted to give him something that…," she choked a little, her throat suddenly tight.

"That reflected how much you really love him." Bucky finished for her.

"Yeah," Nat said a little shakily, impatiently wiping her tears off her cheeks.

"Did you tell him you were doing this or did you just leave?"

"I just left. I had a friend's help. I did leave him a note saying that I loved him and that I would be back." Nat said defensively.

"Oh baby doll," Bucky sat back against the seat. "If Steve in the future is anything like Steve now, he'll listen to your story, be very grateful to you for doing all this; then he is absolutely going to tan your backside for scaring him half to death."

Natasha laughed, "I can guarantee you are correct in your assessment. I just hope he'll still love me."

"Baby, if he didn't, he wouldn't be Steve. He loves you. Then and now." Bucky hugged her. "Don't worry. We're going to get through all of this. I'll talk to Peggy tonight."

"Thanks, Bucky. If there's a problem, come get me after everyone's asleep."

They drove into town and found a bakery. Nat bought out all of the apple, cherry and blueberry strudels they had and had Bucky put them in the jeep. There was a specialty store nearby which sold coffee and tea. She got ten pounds of ground coffee, five pounds of sugar and two gallons of actual cream. Loaded with their gifts they made it back to camp early enough for the cooks to pop the strudels in the oven and brew the fancy coffee.

Steve and Peggy ran up when they saw Nat and Bucky unloading the jeep. They both looked confused until Natasha explained the reason for their impromptu run into town. She grabbed Steve's hand and took him into the officer's mess for a cup of fabulous coffee and a piece of strudel. Her happiness was infectious and Steve couldn't help beaming at her.

That night, a very shaken Peggy came into the tent after her date with Bucky. Natasha held out her hand. Peggy took it and sat on the bed and listened to Natasha confirm everything Bucky had just told her.

"Can you do this, Peggy? Do you even want to is probably the better question." Nat still held her friend's hand.

"Seventy years..." Peggy's voice was shaky. "There is no other way?"

"No, there isn't. If Steve doesn't ditch that plane, millions of people are going to die. He's a hero now and he'll be a hero again in my time. He literally helps save the world several times over. He has to reawaken in my time or else we won't have our leader...our Captain America, and we need him Peggy. I need him."

"I understand," Peggy said, looking down at her hands.

"Steve also needs Bucky and Bucky needs you. We both need our friends, Peg. You and Bucky are important to me as well." Nat put her hand on the brunette's shoulder.

Peggy looked up, searching her face. She saw in Natasha what she had seen in Bucky. A grim determination to set things right. It wasn't a horrible joke; it was what had to happen. As it turned out, Peggy Carter had grit. "All right darling. I'm in."


	20. Trains, Heimdall & Hello

Peggy used her deep contacts to get information on the train that would carry Arnim Zola. She arranged for Howard to fly Nat close to the last depot the train would hit before taking the run through the alps where the Howling Commandos would intercept it. Nat would stow away on the train, in the car they knew Bucky would wind up in. Since she spoke fluent German, they put her in a stolen officer's uniform just in case she were discovered.

Natasha took her own precautions, since her German uniform had pants, she wore her catsuit underneath. What she didn't tell all of them was the she had her Widow Bite bracelets on as well. She was going to save Bucky or die trying and no one was going to interfere.

They decided not to tell Steve about her train mission. Only that she'd been called back to London for a special deep cover assignment that she couldn't talk about. The night before she left, Nat sneaked Steve off base to the Lumber Mill again. There, she loved him all night, repeating her pledge to find him no matter what and reminding him how much she loved him.

As they lay together, holding each other in the afterglow of their latest round of lovemaking, Steve whispered, "You never gave me an answer, Natalie."

She knew exactly what he meant. She'd dodged the answer to his proposal for days. Turning in his arms, she looked into his beloved face. "Yes, I'll marry you."

Steve's face lit up with a brilliant smile, "Yes?"

She nodded, smiling, "Yes."

She said 'yes' because tomorrow it wouldn't matter anymore; she and Bucky would either be dead or in Asgard and within a week in this time frame Steve would be in his suspended animation sleep waiting to wake in the twenty first century. If nothing else, she'd make certain he had Peggy and Bucky. Her life or death wasn't important at this point. Steve might disagree but she was used to being very practical and this was a time for practicality.

Happy to have his proposal accepted, Steve held her close; stroking her hair as he often did, tenderly kissing her with something akin to joy. Russian women can be cold but Natasha found it impossible to be icy in the warm sunlit reality of Steve Roger's love.

In the wee small hours of the morning, they said their good-byes until they were to meet again. Steve watched her pack unhappily. He had a sense of foreboding and was reluctant to let her go. He touched her as often as he could as she walked back and forth, making certain to gather all her things. A quick slight of hand and she retrieved the gold token for Peggy without Steve's notice from under the drawer on her desk. She wrote Heimdall's name on another sheet of paper, slipped the token and note into an envelope where she wrote Peggy's name. She left it on her friend's pillow.

When she was certain that no trace of her remained she sat on the bed next to him. Steve wrapped her in his arms and held her. She held him just as tightly. They didn't speak. There was no need for words at this point. When Howard came for her Steve walked her out, she was tucked beneath his shoulder as always. Howard seemed to know that this was serious and put her bag in his car without a snarky comment.

"Please let me know you're safe as soon as you can," Steve tucked an errant curl of hair behind her ear.

"I will." Nat reached up and cupped his face with her hand. "Remember, no matter what occurs, even if it seems all hope is lost, we will see each other again. Hold onto that, Steve. At your darkest hour remember that I love you and I will come back to you. On my honor, I will."

Steve's eyebrows were knitted together in consternation. When he lifted his eyes to hers, she could see the pain in them. She wished she could give him an assurance, make this easier for him. Of all the people she'd ever known, Steve Rogers deserved happiness. He was a soldier, a protector, a guardian. The shield was naturally his symbol because it's very nature was protection. Steve would never fail to protect those he loved or ideals he believed in. She knew that intimately.

She wished she could tell him what a true hero he was and would be again. She wished she could make it so his best friend didn't seemingly die before his eyes. Mentally she shook herself. This was not the time for wishes and pretend. Now she knew that love was far from being for children. Love was hard, painful, soul crushing; it was also beautiful, heart warming and a sense of completeness with the right partner.

"You're my right partner, Captain Steve Rogers." She stood on her toes to kiss him.

"I love you, Nat." Steve hugged her and returned the kiss.

"Fair winds and clear skies. I love you, always." Nat got into the car with Howard before she could change her mind.

The ride to the airfield was brief. Howard had her in the air and over the drop zone within an hour. Nat jumped with all her gear and possessions since she wasn't coming back. The landing was less than ideal but she was unscathed as she trudged overland to the depot. German precision made the train come exactly on time. She slipped aboard in the pre-dawn darkness, counted cars back, avoided a few guards and hid as best as she could, gun in hand. Now she had to wait.

Back at camp, Steve and his Commandos were suited up and read to go. They noticed their Captain was a little quieter than usual but wrote it off to his girlfriend's departure. They didn't envy him with a spy for his lady. The trucks were loaded up and they set off for their rendezvous with Arnim Zola's train.

Natasha was on high alert so she heard the sounds of fighting long before it got to her. She shrugged her duffle bag onto her back, drew her second gun and positioned herself to see both ends of the car. She'd put a knit cap on to cover her distinctive hair. Hopefully Steve wouldn't spot her in the confusion and she could get out with Bucky and both of them alive.

The door to her left slid open then shut again as Bucky came through and locked it. To her right the gunman with the blaster came through on that side. She took him out and waved to Bucky. He acknowledged her then scooted back as the door he was crouching near blew. Steve was there, turning to deflect another blast from yet another hand cannon. The blast ricocheted and hit the side of the train near Bucky, blowing a hole in the steel wall. He started his inexorable slide to his death. It was now or never and Natasha ran for it.

She slid into Bucky, grabbing him with all her might. "NOW!", she said, and yelled, "Heimdall!", along with Bucky. Before the word left her mouth there was a shower of rainbow light and the world fell away with a gut wrenching twist.

They crashed together on a mosaic floor. It wouldn't have been so bad but Bucky landed on top of her along with her duffle bag.

"Baby doll, I'm so sorry." His eyes were full of concern as he helped her to her feet.

"It's all good, Buck. We're alive...YOU'RE alive...I may not be for long but we did it! She hugged him; he hugged her back.

It was apparently nighttime on Asgard because besides Heimdall, whom Natasha thanked profusely and told him they had one more coming in a few days, there was no one in sight. He seemed pleased that she was so happy and nodded his head to Bucky when she introduced them. Bucky was obviously floored by the beauty of just the room they were in. She watched him look around while she peeled off the German uniform and knit cap and stood in her catsuit.

"Where is everyone, Heimdall?"

"The crown prince is with your friends. They are in the great hall together. I will call Thor to your side."

"Wait!" Natasha wasn't certain she wanted to face everyone just yet but she knew she was being selfish. Steve needed to see her and definitely needed to see Bucky.

"Too late." Heimdall said with a look that was a little too smug.

There was the sound of galloping horses and Natasha grabbed Bucky and ducked back behind Heimdall and his key.

"Natasha!" Steve and Thor barreled into the room. Nat decided not to be a chicken shit and came out, motioning Bucky to stay where he was for a minute.

"Little sister!" Thor grabbed her and tossed her into the air then caught her in a demi-god hug before spinning her over to Steve.

Steve caught her and nearly crushed her in a hug. "Sweetheart...Natasha...thank god. Why? Why didn't you talk to me? Why didn't you tell me what you were thinking? Didn't you trust me?" His beautiful silky baritone was not too steady.

She knew he would rethink those questions very shortly so she didn't hold it against him, she just snuggled into his chest and nearly cracked his ribs in the hug she gave him.

"I'm sorry, Steve. I really didn't mean to make you worry. I was trying to give you a wonderful surprise." Her voice was muffled against his chest but he heard every word.

He pulled back a little and tipped her chin up to look into her eyes, "Surprise? You mean Dr. Erskine? Yes, that was...is wonderful. I can't tell you how glad I am that he didn't die...but Natasha, you've been gone for weeks. Why?"

She pulled away from him a little and held out her hand. Bucky came out from behind Heimdall, grinning to beat hell and took her hand, reaching for his best friend and brother with the other arm.

"Hiya, Steve."

"BUCKY?!" Steve literally burst into tears and hugged Bucky with one arm while keeping the other around Natasha.

"How? You fell...I couldn't save you." Steve's voice was a choked whisper.

"Natasha saved me, Steve. You can't know what she's gone through to make all of this possible for you. You've got a great gal there." Bucky had literally just seen 1945 Steve minutes before on the train. This Steve hadn't seen his friend in over seventy years, believed he was dead and that he, Steve, had failed him. He was very overwhelmed.

"Natasha? You did this for me? How?" He pulled back from Bucky to look down at Nat who was torn between beaming with happiness and squirming like a naughty child.

She nodded to him and noticed she was crying too. She was so happy for Steve and Bucky. She hoped Steve wouldn't be too mad at her.

"I...I talked to Thor and he helped me get here and then his mom and another woman helped me get back to you when you were still Skinny Steve and I fell in love with you then too...and I had to save Dr. Erskine and Bucky and Peggy's coming too because she and Bucky are in love...and I'm really sorry I've made you so upset and worried." She'd never seen Steve cry before in this reality and it shook her.

Steve noticed right away, "Nat...Sweetheart...why are you crying?"

"You're crying! That's why I'm crying. And I know you're mad at me and I just want to hold you and I know you're gonna take me in hand like Thor and Thor's mom said but can you please not do it now until I've told you everything and then if you still want to, I wouldn't blame you because I really fucked everything up and scared you unnecessarily, so if you're gonna spank me, I guess it's okay and I won't kill you for it because in a way I deserve it."

She realized she sounded like a blathering idiot and sank to the ground sobbing, part with happiness, part embarrassment and part because she really was sorry that everyone had to worry over her. Some spy she was. She was supposed to be practical and unemotional She hated giving a shit about everybody but hanging around with Steve will do that. Now she cared. Great, just great.

Steve dropped to one knee next to Natasha, "Hey now...what in the world? Sweetheart, you're home. I love you. What can be so bad that you are this upset? And why on earth are you worried that I'd spank you immediately when you just got back?"

Bucky dropped down on the other side of her, but he was smiling. "Baby girl, Steve will take care of you. Right now, we need to explain all of this to him and to your other friends. I'll be right there with you, till the end of the line."

Natasha hugged Steve's neck and kissed his cheek. She turned to smile at Bucky through her tears. "Okay, Buck."

"Hey, I love you too. You're just like my other sisters. You're stuck with me now, darlin. You too Steve." He hugged them both.

"Bucky, I can't tell you how happy I am to have my best friend...my brother and my best girl with me." Steve's eyes were still sparkling with tears of joy.

He turned back to Natasha, "Come on, we need to go tell everybody the wonderful news."

They all stood up but Steve took Nat in his arms and sat her in front of him on the horse that had brought him to her. Thor had brought another horse for Bucky and the four of them rode back to the great hall. Steve whispered to her, "I love you, Sweetheart. I am very relieved you are safe. But I am definitely going to want a word with you when we get back home."

"I know. I love you too." Natasha whispered back. "Bucky already said you'd probably want to tan my backside for scaring you."

"Bucky always was perceptive." Steve nuzzled her hair. "I want some time with just the two of us. I need to just hold you for awhile, Natasha. Later, we'll talk about you leaving like you did."

"Steve, are you mad at me? I really didn't think it I would be gone that long. I honestly didn't."

"Honey, I'm not mad. I am still going to impress upon you the value of communication with your partner."

"What does that mean?"

"When you're had some rest, we'll talk."

"Talk. Just talk?"

"Talk and then I'm going to put you over my knee."

"Why is it that in either time frame you keep telling me you're going to spank me? It's like a horrible testosterone conspiracy to beat my ass."

"Natasha..." Steve's voice held a lot of censure as he looked down at her snuggled against his chest. She smiled up at him. He had to smile back. She was so beautiful. Aggravating as hell but beautiful and sweet. She'd given him an irreplaceable gift. He was definitely going to tan her butt.

When they got to the great hall, Nat was surprised to see all of the Avengers Assembled, along with Dr. Erskine who came forward with a smile when Steve put her down and wagged a finger in her face.

"Young lady, you saved my life and have brought me to these wonderful people. To see Steven and how he has adjusted to everything and to know he is in love with a woman like you gives me so much happiness."

Nat hugged him. "I'm so glad my plan worked, Dr. Erskine."

Bruce stepped up, "That was brilliant getting that serum back to us, Natasha. We all talked about it and decided not to tell Nick any of this. We have Steve; we don't need any more Super Soldiers running around for our government to use as they see fit. All of the data, Dr. Erskine's formula, it's all in Tony's private servers, the serum is locked in his vault and none of it will ever fall into anyone's hands but ours."

"Thanks so much, Bruce. I'm really sorry about all this." Nat said.

"Don't be. It was all for a good cause," Bruce smiled at her.

Tony and Pepper came up to hug her. "Hey, Little Red. You really had us worried. I've nearly had to sedate Spangles a time or two."

"Don't listen to him. Steve had the utmost faith in you and whatever you were doing...he was still very worried as we all were." Pepper gave her a sisterly kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks, Pepper. Tony, I really am sorry." She hugged Pepper and accepted a hug from Tony.

Clint came up and crushed her to his chest. "God damn it, Nat. I ought to spank your ass from here to D.C. but Steve has first crack at you."

That brought fresh tears to her eyes. "Clint, I'm sorry I ditched you but I had to do this myself and there wasn't time to explain."

He hugged her again, "You're a pain in the ass, Nat."

"Clint," Steve's voice sounded a little reproachful, "she just got back, let's give her some time to tell all of us the story."

Hawkeye looked at him as he passed Natasha back and in a voice pitched only for Steve's ear, "Cap, She needs you."

Steve took her hand and led her to a couch in a semi-circle with lots of pillows and room for everyone. He sat down with Natasha on his lap, Bucky sat next to them, then Clint, then Thor, Bruce, Pepper and Tony and finally Dr. Erskine. There was a big platter of assorted cold meats, fruit and vegetables and various beverages. Everyone dug in and listened while Natasha with Bucky's help, filled them in on most of the events that had happened.

She leaned back against Steve and whispered to him she'd tell him the more intimate details later. That brought raised eyebrows from him and a curious look as to what she could be talking about. She turned to the rest of them and continued her story while they all snacked on the food laid out for them.

"...and then I had to ask Bucky for a spanking because Steve wouldn't do it and Colonel Phillips had ordered him to." Everyone laughed at that.

Bucky added, "I'm pretty sure Steve will handle it himself now." That made everyone laugh harder.

"You spanked my girlfriend?" Steve's eyebrows shot up and his arm around Natasha tightened.

"Hey, somebody had to." Bucky teased them. Natasha punched him in the arm, laughing and blushing.

"Apparently you are a handful no matter where you are," Steve nuzzled her neck as he gathered her to him and hugged her.

Thor reached over and clapped Steve on the leg, "Go easy with her, Captain. Heimdall has reported the number of times she was in grave danger yet she stayed the course to bring your brother back to you."

"Natasha? What the hell happened?" Steve was less amused now and more concerned with the little red head sitting on his lap and trying to look smaller than she was. It didn't help at all that she looked guilty as hell and squirmed under his direct gaze.

"When we were on the train, I was actually sliding out the door when she caught me and yanked me back. If Heimdall hadn't pulled us through, we both could have gone over that cliff or worse, just her. She practically pulled me into her lap. I felt her losing purchase then here we were." Bucky said helpfully.

Steve stared at her incredulously. "You risked your life for Bucky?"

"I risked my life for you and for Bucky and for Dr. Erskine. That's what I do, Steve. I'm a spy. I do things like this all the time but no one ever questions it except now because it was a time travel issue." Natasha sounded less embarrassed and more petulant without looking at him.

"What else happened?" Steve turned her face to his. "What else, Natasha?"

"Well, she jumped out of a plane against your orders into heavy anti-aircraft fire to help you on that mission where you rescued me." Bucky was grinning. Nat shot him a death glare.

"And then she captured two spies by herself which were running a huge smuggling ring. That was after she ditched Peggy and Howard." He winked at her. "She got a medal for that little caper."

"Howard? My dad, Howard?" Tony piped up.

Natasha nodded. "I'll tell you all about it later, Tony."

"Oh and the best part was when she took on eight armed soldiers as a training exercise. Colonel Phillips was so impressed that he let her train everybody." Bucky took a drink of some delicious Asgardian ale.

Natasha met Steve's eyes squarely and set her jaw in a stubborn clench. "Yup. He's right. I did do all of that."

Steve examined her face. He'd been so scared while she was gone. The one person who could have given him comfort wasn't there. Looking at her, so brave, beautiful and capable, his heart swelled with pride.

"Sweetheart, I'm so proud of you. You're a real hero, Nat. You're my hero." Steve kissed her gently while everyone cheered.

"Thank you, I'm just so sorry I made you mad and worried. It really was just a split second decision. I thought with Christmas coming up I could get you the best present ever." Her eyes got a little teary. She was still afraid he wouldn't want her when he heard everything.

"Nothing I can give you could ever be equal to you bringing Bucky back here." Steve said softly with a sweet smile. He smoothed her hair back and saw that she was still wearing the earrings he'd bought her.

"I'll have to get you something to go with those earrings." She kissed him and hugged him around the neck. She was just so happy to be home with her real Steve.

"You don't have to get me anything. Just the fact that you don't want to break up with me means everything." She sniffled and hiccuped on that statement.

"Natasha, why on earth would I break up with you?" Steve was very confused.

"Because I'm a pain in the ass like Clint said!" She wailed and cried on his shoulder.

Steve chuckled and patted her back, rising from his seat with her in his arms, "I think we need to give her a little more time. She almost died today in 1945 and it's apparent that time travel is a little hard on the nerves. Bucky and I will take her home. He can stay with us until we can get him his own place."

"Steve, wait," Tony put a hand on his arm. "Bucky, you too. We can put Bucky up at the Avengers mansion or at the Tower as soon as he's ready. I'm sure you two want to take some time to get reacquainted and I'm pretty sure you're not going to let Little Red out of your sight for awhile."

"Thank you, Tony, I really appreciate that. And you're right. Natasha is not going to be available unless I'm with her for some time. We need to talk and get a few things ironed out." He looked at Clint specifically. Clint nodded and kept quiet.

"Thank you, Tony," Bucky said. "I'll get my own place when I get on my feet in this time."

"No need. You can work with Stark Industries or with the Avengers if you like. According to Steve, you're a stand up guy. If you're his family, you're our family."

"Thanks, Tony. Thanks so much." Bucky was very surprised and pleased.

Steve turned to Thor, "Thank you for everything you've done for all of us and specifically for Natasha."

Thor and Steve clasped forearms in a gesture of mutual respect. "You are very welcome, Captain."

Natasha lifted her head and squirmed so Steve put her down. She went to Thor and hugged him. "Thank you for everything. I'm so sorry I got you in the middle of this. You're the reason this was possible at all. Please thank your mother and Freya for me as well."

Thor extended his hand and clasped her forearm as well, "Respect from one warrior to another, Lady Natasha. I will see you in a few days when your other friend arrives."

Steve took her hand in his, slung her her duffle bag over his shoulder and put his arm around Bucky's back. They said good-night to everyone then rode out over the bifrost so Heimdall could send them home.


	21. Truth & Consequences

They wound up back in the Avenger's Tower since that was where Natasha started from. Steve ordered a car from J.A.R.V.I.S. since he only had his motorcycle there. Bucky was amazed by how much the city had changed. Steve and Natasha answered some of his questions but waited until they got to Steve's place to show him cable TV and the Internet.

Natasha was exhausted and as much as she wanted to be with Steve, she was trembling as she sat on the end of his bed. Evidently his perception was right. She hadn't felt this emotionally fragile since The Red Room. It had to be a side effect of the time travel. Steve noticed and started taking off her boots. She was so tired that she let him. Once Steve got her out of her catsuit, into a hot bath then into bed wearing his t-shirt, Natasha fell instantly asleep.

He watched her for awhile, stroking her hair and giving her a kiss on her forehead before going out to join Bucky who was trying to figure out the microwave.

Steve swiftly put the frozen dinner in and set the timer. Bucky watched everything with great interest. Steve poured coffee and the two friends sat down to reminisce.

"Bucky, I can't tell you how much it means to me to have you here in our time. It feels like I got a big chunk of my life back." Steve said earnestly.

"That little gal in there did all the heavy lifting for this to be possible. I'm grateful she had the guts and the grit to make this happen." Bucky said between bites of food.

Bucky told him everything. From meeting Natasha at Stark's Expo, to how she treated Steve in his 'before' phase; her announcement to the rescued troops about his prowess in bed. Everything.

Steve wavered from astonishment to red-faced embarrassment to laughter as Bucky described everything he'd personally seen or that Natasha and 1945 Steve had told him.

"I think she was willing to sacrifice herself if it came to that, Steve. The last thing she told me before the train was a message to you. I'll never forget it. She said: 'Just tell Steve that I loved him, no matter what happens. That he gave me back my life, my heart and hope. Tell him specifically that he gave me hope and I always believed in him.' It was like she was telling me to tell you good-bye in case things went sideways." Bucky said.

Steve had a grim set to his jaw after Bucky told him that. It was intolerable that Natasha felt her life was expendable or that she was replaceable. That was something he intended to address with her.

"Steve, she thought you were in love with Peggy and she wanted you to have the life you were cheated out of. I told her about the picture in your compass – the one you showed me when we were marching back after you rescued all of us. I told her then it wasn't Peggy you were in love with but Natasha felt you at least were entitled to have the choice that you never had." Bucky told him.

Steve rose and went to his bookshelf, retrieving the compass from the cigar box before returning to the table. He opened it and laid it out for Bucky. It was a grainy black and white of Natasha in her uniform.

"I clipped it from the article about her receiving a medal."

"You need to show that to her. Honestly, Steve, she is so loyal and so brave. She never gave any guy a single look even though she got plenty of them herself. Every conversation was about you in some way. She really loves you. She just feels like she doesn't deserve you for some reason."

"Natasha is a master assassin, Buck. Her code name is Black Widow. She was recruited as a child in Russia and trained in a place called The Red Room. It was horrendous training which included all forms of torture. The handlers sterilized them as part of a twisted graduation ceremony. She feels that she is damaged so she is undeserving of happiness and love. I want to change that. I love her. I don't want Peggy or anyone else. Just Natasha." Steve's eyes pleaded with his friend to understand what he was saying.

"Then be her hero, Steve. Be that guy who is too stubborn to back down from a fight. Natasha is used to relying on just herself because she's had to. Be the man she can rely on, no matter what. Give her the confidence that you can take the reins once in awhile. You can be dependable without making her feel dependent." Bucky was earnest. He hoped Steve would be her partner in every sense of the word.

"You haven't been here a day and you seem to have a better handle on this than I do after a year," Steve said ruefully.

"Nah, I've just had more practice with women. Plus, Natasha and Peggy would have kicked my ass if I didn't learn to grow a little, you know?" Bucky grinned.

"I think I do know, actually," Steve said. "And you're right, I need to take a more assertive stand with Natasha on a few things."

Natasha slept for a full twenty-four hours. Steve never left the apartment and barely left her side. Bruce and Tony came by to take Bucky out for a couple of days and show him all the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. facilities so he'd have an idea of what he was getting into. Pepper brought over a bunch of Nat's clothes from her apartment so she'd have something to change into when she woke up and several days worth of food from one of Stark Industries' caterers so Steve didn't have to worry about cooking or shopping. Thor even dropped by to fill in the rest of the blanks for Steve about Nat's little quest.

When Natasha finally woke up, she discovered Steve curled protectively around her, still fully dressed. Quietly so she wouldn't wake him, she eased out of bed and into the bathroom. She made use of the facilities and showered. She discovered Pepper's thoughtfulness and got dressed in some scandalously tight jeans and a deep purple skin tight shirred top. Her thigh high boots were in her bag so she fished those out as well. After putting some make up on, she discovered Steve was out of coffee. Swearing under her breath, she found the key he'd given her, stuck a credit card in her back pocket and went to get caffeine sustenance.

Stepping out into the familiar surroundings of Brooklyn as she knew it made her a little nostalgic for the Brooklyn she'd seen through pre-serum Steve's eyes. She remembered a market nearby so she hurried over to get some Ethiopian coffee to surprise Steve with. She picked up sugar and cream as well since she couldn't remember if Steve was out or not. On her way back, she saw a flower stand and gathered a bouquet of lavender and yellow roses: Lavender for love and yellow for joy.

She managed to get back into the apartment without damaging the flowers or dropping anything. The flowers went into a pitcher of water since she couldn't locate a vase and the coffee into the fancy machine that Tony had apparently gifted Steve with while she was away.

Bucky wasn't there and there wasn't a note so Nat assumed he was with one of the team. She poured herself some coffee and flicked on the TV. Steve must have heard her because he came out of the bedroom and straight to her on the couch. Natasha set the coffee down and opened her arms to him. He picked her up and sat down with her in his lap.

"I went out and got coffee, cream and sugar since you were out and some flowers too." Nat pointed at the table.

"They're beautiful, Sweetheart, thank you." Steve didn't mention having a moment of panic when he woke up to find her gone. This was also not the time to scold her about going out alone. She was obviously feeling better and was capable. He should just appreciate her being here with him and get on with the next step in their relationship.

Natasha kissed him and he responded instantly. "God, Steve, I've missed you...I mean the real you."

"You have no idea how much I missed you, honey." Just having her in his arms meant everything to him.

"Listen," she said, sitting up a little straighter on his lap, "I need to tell you some things and I don't know if it's going to upset you or not but you want me to be open and honest, so here goes."

"Mind if I get coffee while we talk?" Steve asked her.

"Oh, sure...of course." She hopped off his lap and let him retrieve his coffee. When he came back, he settled next to her and draped his arm over the back of the couch so he could touch her beautiful red curls.

"I...I slept with you...um...before the serum." She paused to let him digest that.

"That may explain why I had some very provocative dreams while you were away." Steve smiled at her.

"Did Bucky tell you all this already?" Nat paled a little.

"He did, but you should know that he is one hundred per cent on your side and wanted me to know that every single thing you did was so that I could have the life you thought I was cheated out of." Steve's warm baritone was calm and surprisingly mild as he conveyed this to her.

"Are you mad at me?" Nat squirmed a little because he was just that close and looking at her just that intently. He also looked very sexy. Steve always managed to roll out of bed looking presentable. He had on one of his plaid shirts with the sleeves rolled up, a pair of Levis that fit like a glove and his brown boots.

"I was, at first, Natasha. Then I realized I was more hurt and afraid. I was hurt because you didn't feel as though you could talk to me about any of this and I was afraid because I know what it was actually like during WWII. While I know that you are capable, there were so many things that could have gone wrong. When time dragged by and there was no word from you at all, I was more and more worried. Thor explained to me that Heimdall was under orders to bring you back if you were in life threatening danger but that didn't ease my mind much." God, she loved his voice; a silky baritone timbre that sent delicious shivers down her spine.

"I'm sorry, Steve. Hurting you was the last thing on my mind." Nat looked contrite and couldn't meet his eyes.

"I understand that. I also understand why you wanted to surprise me with Bucky and Dr. Erskine and I'm grateful, Natasha. More grateful than you can possibly imagine to feel as though I have a big piece of my life back." He stroked her hair back from her face.

She nodded and looked away. He put his coffee down and reached over to turn her face back towards him. "I love you for what you did. That you loved me so much that you did something so impulsive and so potentially dangerous because you truly believed that I deserved a second chance."

Green eyes looked at him with tears threatening to spill and he took her hand in his. "I want you to see something." He led her to the bookcase and got the cigar box out. He took out his old compass and handed it to her. "Look inside."

Her hands shook as she did as he asked. When she saw her own picture in it; a picture of her in her SSR uniform, she gasped and her tears did overflow then. "It's me...but Steve, it was Peggy before..."

"It may have been but what you did back there...loving me as I was, before I became what I am now...I dreamed about you, Nat. I dreamed about you doing what you said. You told me right here that if you had known me before the serum you still would have gone to bed with me because you knew what kind of man I was in my heart. You made that come true." He stroked his hands down her shoulders because he had to touch her.

He gently took the compass from her and put it back in the box and gathered her to him. "Now knowing what kind of a wonderful woman you are to have done all of this, why would you possibly think that I would want any kind of choice but the one I'd already made?"

Her arms tightened around him. She was trembling with pent up emotion. "Because I thought I had fucked everything up for you and now you won't have Peggy like you wanted all along. Thor told me that you knew your own mind and heart and that you'd made the right choice for yourself by choosing me. I should have listened to him, but I had to bring Bucky and Dr. Erskine at least."

"We need to have a long overdue talk." Steve walked her back to the couch and sat her down, then sat far enough away so he was close but could see her face and she could see his.

"What I have learned, Natasha, is that I over-romanticized my relationship with Peggy. She loved me I think, in her own way; more like a favored pet than a man. You have always seen me as a man, even knowing my history. You didn't need to but you proved that when you made love with me prior to the serum. You treated me kindly, you were a true friend to me then and you loved me then; just as I was with no enhancement."

Natasha was getting decidedly uncomfortable. She liked his praise but she wasn't used to being showered with approval and wasn't sure how to handle it. "Steve, I want you to know, I felt like I was making love with you the whole time. I want you to know the whole truth."

"You were hardly cheating on me, with me, honey." Steve chuckled.

That got a small smile from her. "Thank you for understanding that. He smelled like you, touched me like you do...I just wanted to make certain he knew he had value above and beyond the serum or Captain America."

"And you have made me feel all of those things and more, sweetheart. You changed my history and you've changed ours. I am not complaining about either of those things; do you understand?"

She nodded and this time she looked at him. Steve met her gaze with a smile. "I do not want Peggy, Natasha. I am not in love with Peggy and I have no desire to go back to when I thought I was in love with her. I am in love with you. You are the woman I fantasize about. You are the woman I dream about. I want you. No one else. Is that clear enough?"

She nodded and smiled through the tears that were threatening to fall. "Okay."

She moved to hug him but he held her back. "Wait...a couple of things first." His tone decidedly changed to a sterner one.

Nat frowned, she wasn't sure she liked this turn of events. "What things?"

"For one thing, you scared every single person here who loves you when you took off like you did. Thor did his best to reassure me but believe me, he did not divulge any of your secrets so it was less than comforting."

"Steve, I said I was so sorry for all of that. I'm also sorry for dragging Thor into everything. And for worrying everyone."

"Also, I believe you disobeyed a direct order given to you by a superior officer in a combat situation." His mouth quirked on one side.

"Wait a minute, Phillips already addressed that." Nat looked a little affronted. "Besides, that was then, we are in the here and now."

"Natasha, do you love me?"

"What kind of question is that? You know I do."

"Do you want to be a couple, move in together, start thinking about marriage someday?"

She blushed then. "Yes, of course I do. I think spending all that time with you before you had your heart broken made me realize just how much I do love you and how much I want us to work out."

"I want that too, very much," Steve took her hand.

"Good, then what's the problem?" Nat said.

"The problem Natasha, is that you were too willing to sacrifice yourself to save Bucky. He gave me your message to me." Steve's voice had gone into Stern Steve territory.

"H-he did?" Natasha gulped.

"Word for word." One eyebrow raised, that was never a good sign. "And what exactly did you say to Thor? The part about me deserving so much more than you?" Steve asked her.

"Thunder god, my ass. He's a narc." Nat groused.

Steve laughed, "No, honey, he kept your secrets and waited until you were home safely so that he wasn't violating your agreement with him."

"Fuck. I can't talk to anybody without being ratted out." Natasha slouched back against the couch.

Steve chuckled, "Sweetheart, everyone loves you. They apparently think highly enough of me to believe that I'm good enough for their red haired princess. Particularly your best friend, Clint."

"I'm a spy. No one's supposed to love me. And Clint just wants you to bust my ass so he can have a turn." Nat argued.

"I'm afraid you're going to have to be disappointed then because all of them love you. Almost as much as I do; including Clint." Steve held out his hand to her.

After a moment, she put her hand in his. "Are you sure you're not mad at me?"

"No, I'm not mad at you. I am going to make sure you never, ever take off again like you did...no matter what the reason. That you never, ever disobey an order and jump out of an airplane directly into anti-aircraft fire like you did...and most importantly, that you completely understand me when I tell you that you are not expendable, Natasha. That's what bothers me the most; that you would think that you don't matter. I am going to make sure you know how much you do matter."

"What are you going to do? Nat looked at him suspiciously.

"I'm going to give you a choice." Steve said in a "I Am Going To Own Your Cute Little Butt One Way Or Another" tone of voice.

"What fucking choice?" Nat said, her mouth suddenly going dry.

"Either I'm going to turn you over my knee and give you that spanking you've been pushing for, both in 1945 and here, or we are not going to see each other for a month and Clint will keep an eye on you during that time." Steve said flatly.

Natasha was stunned. "A spanking or we break up? What the hell, Steve?"

"We're not breaking up. I said a month apart." Steve kept his voice level.

"Why? I apologized!"

"You did, and I appreciate it."

"I don't want to be apart for a month!" Nat looked unhappy.

"You'll take the spanking then?" Steve waited for her response.

She looked at him with wide eyes. Steve's eyes narrowed slightly, "When you were back in 1945, did I tell you I was going to spank you or not?"

"Y-yes, you did. Several times. But you never got around to it."

"Well, I am now." Steve's voice had that thread of command that always made her shiver.

"This is just between us?" Nat asked.

"Absolutely. I give you my word." Steve radiated honesty as always. One thing she'd learned, he was always honest. Damn it.

"Natasha..." Her name was delivered in the same tone of voice that had scared that kid on the flight deck. Shit. Natasha went to him.

Steve put her over his knee. He tempered his hand but he took his time with the spanking. If he'd used any measure of his real strength he could have injured her so he was careful but firm. This was a lesson in temperance, in wisdom and to impress upon her that she was loved and valued. It was his lecture that got to her. He never raised his voice but he got his point across very well.

"You will not take unnecessary risks to your life and safety. That ends now. Risks in the line of duty are different. That comes with the job. You had no way of controlling where you ended up experimenting with time travel like that. Every one of your teammates lost sleep and were worried, even after Dr. Erskine showed up and we figured out part of what you were attempting. That's because we love you, all of us. I am sorry that I didn't impress on you before that you were and are the most important woman in my life. Also, more than one person has told me that you seem to think your life is expendable. That you are somehow damaged goods and don't deserve love and happiness. All of us have done things we are not proud of, Natasha. You love someone for who they are, not their past. And believe me, sweetheart, you are loved. I will never give up on you or on us."

That last part of his lecture cut her to the bone. To have this particular man, this symbol for everything good, true, and ethically right, want her, love her; he made her want to be a better person...and definitely a better girlfriend.

"Steve...I'm not giving up either." she choked on her words, fighting tears at this point.

He lifted her up into his arms and held her. "Nat, if you do anything like that ever again...I promise you..."

"And we're right back here. I understand." Natasha acknowledged, blinking back her tears. She knew he was right. She'd screwed up. He'd hurt her feelings more than anything. But she'd hurt him too, she realized. "I promise to always put us first."

"And I promise I will be a man you can depend on without feeling dependent. You have been my friend and now you are much, much more than my lover. I want us to know that everything about each other is true." His silky baritone wrapped around her. She still felt safe with him, despite him warming her bottom.

"Are we okay now?" She had her head on his shoulder, her hand on his chest, feeling the powerful beat of her hero's heart.

"We were never not okay, Natasha. But yes, we are okay. We always will be okay." He stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head.

"Steve, I'm so sorry."

"Sweetheart, I know you are. For what it's worth though, I'm sorry too."

"I know." She said in her smokey voice.

He tightened his hold on her and she reciprocated, holding him tightly; everything felt right again.

"Are you okay if I put you down?" Steve asked after awhile.

She nodded and he slid her off his lap and onto the couch. "I'll be right back."

He disappeared into his bedroom then came back to drop to one knee in front of her and take her hands in his. "Natasha, since I met you, then and now, you have been the friend I needed...and also the lover, the woman I dreamed of. You risked everything to try to make my life even better than it was. Your face was the last thing I saw when I ditched the plane. Now, your face is the first thing I want to see in the morning when I wake up next to you and the last thing at night before I sleep with you in my arms."

She hung on his every word, meeting his beautiful blue eyes and smiling at him.

Steve reached into his pocket and brought out a small box. He opened it to reveal a ring with a central diamond and two rubies flanking it in a yellow gold setting which he presented to her. "Natasha Romanoff, will you do me the honor..."

Her green eyes were wide and her mouth opened in surprise.

"...and marry me?"

She shrieked in pure happiness and nearly flattened him on the floor as she came off the couch into his arms. "Yes!"

Steve caught her and pulled her close. "I love you, Sweetheart."

She kissed him then. When she pulled back her answer was absolutely clear, "I love you, Steve; I. Love. You."

He took the ring out and before he slipped it on her finger, showed her the engraving on the inside: "SR The Right Partner NR".

"You remembered?" Nat gasped, finally grasping all that he'd said.

"Everything." Steve smiled. "I dreamed a lot while you were gone and again last night. I dreamed of Brooklyn, my old apartment, the first time we made love, before the serum...the second time in the forest after the conversion, the plane, the lumber mill, the hotel, Bucky falling...and a flash of what looked like another body going out of the train with him. Through all of it, you were there...and we loved each other."

"Oh god, Steve."

"You were my first love back then and you're my first love now. You are the true love of my life and I wouldn't have it any other way." Steve cupped her cheek in his hand and pressed his forehead to hers.

After that, she was crying again, this time from happiness and hugging him so tightly she nearly cracked his ribs. Once he got the ring on her, she tackled him on the floor and wouldn't stop kissing him, which suited him just fine.


	22. Hawkeye, Steve & Peggy

During the time between Natasha and Steve's engagement and Peggy's pending arrival, Clint finally had a moment with Nat. Steve offered to be with her but she said, no, she could handle Clint by herself.

Clint was less mad than he had been but that didn't mean he wasn't serious about getting Nat's undivided attention. They met at his apartment in the city. Clint had Laura on Skype and she chewed Nat out as well. The two women understood each other perfectly. Laura loved Natasha like a sister and vice versa. After that conversation, Clint closed the Skype window and turned to Nat.

"Anything you want to tell me other than what I heard in Asgard?" Clint folded his arms and waited.

"Clint, I'm sorry," Natasha admitted, "I really wasn't thinking of all the potential consequences. I just wanted Steve to be happy."

"What makes Steve happy and me happy, for that matter, is you in one piece." Clint snapped at her.

Nat nodded, "I know. I may have taken a few chances but it did all work out."

"What fucking part of 'you could have been lost in time' do you not understand?" Clint stepped closer, taking her by her shoulders and shaking her lightly.

"Freya and Frigga assured me that wouldn't happen." Nat pushed his hands off. "Why are you and Steve in particular so pissed off about this? I take bigger risks all the time in our line of work. Neither of you has ever bitched about me taking a bullet or a hit for someone else but I go on a time travel mission and suddenly it's an emergency."

"Because then, one of us is generally with you so we can haul your ass out of there, get you medical if you need it, take you to safety if we have to. We're there to protect each other, Tasha. I know and Steve knows that you have our backs. Why you can't muster up the trust for me and for him to protect you back, I really don't understand." Clint turned and paced the room.

"I do trust you, and Steve. What I don't need is protecting, Clint. I haven't since I came through the Red Room. Why can't you understand that? Shit, I can't get Steve to understand it either. Who the fuck do you think protected me then?" Natasha paced as well, on her side of the room.

"No, Nat, you don't get to draw the Red Room like a gun every time you're losing an argument," Clint wheeled back around grabbed her arm.

"Stop it, Clint." She pulled back but he wouldn't release her.

"Not this time." Clint wasn't as tall as Steve but he was every bit as strong as Nat was. He was also more pissed off so it was a fair almost-fight. He hauled her over to his couch and dragged her across his lap.

"Come on, Clint!" Natasha squirmed but he held her fast.

"You could have taken a few minutes to explain to either Steve or me what you were thinking of doing or let Thor explain it when he got back. Hell, even if we disagreed with you and you did it anyway, at least we would have had some idea of where you were, not to mention 'when' you were." He punctuated every few words with a smack on her butt.

"It was an impulse, okay?" Nat protested and bit him on his calf. That earned her a hard stinging slap across her ass from the archer's hand.

"Keep it up, Natasha and you will be here awhile. I got nowhere else to be." Clint kept up a steady cadence on her bum.

"What you did not learn in The Red Room was how to work and play well with others. That is what this is about." Clint gave her a final whack then sat her up on the couch next to him.

Natasha was blushing and furious with him plus her butt stung a lot more than it had with Steve. However, Steve had been holding back on his strength. Clint didn't need to since he was as non-enhanced as she was. She opened her mouth to let him have it.

"Not a word, Tasha or I'll put you right back over my knee." Clint warned her. "You told me how grateful you were to have a real family here with all of us after I brought you into S.H.I.E.L.D. You need to think about that and what it means to be 'family'. Family supports each other, looks out for each other and is the soft place to fall when things go to shit in the field." He took her hand in his and patted it.

"Judging by that ring on your left hand, I would say that Steve wants to have a family with you as well. He's a good man, Nat. He is everything you should have in your life and everything you deserve to have in your life. You are not expendable to Steve or to me and Laura and the kids. We all love you; we'd appreciate your considering all of that next time you decide to go off half-cocked without letting anyone know." Clint reached over and turned her chin to face him.

"You hear me?" He asked her when her eyes met his.

She pulled away and looked down but she nodded. He gave her a one-armed hug. "I am always your friend, Nat. Steve is too. Okay, he's more than that but he was your friend first. Don't take him for granted, okay?"

"Okay," she whispered. "I'm really sorry Clint."

"Me too, Nat." He turned and gave her a full hug. After a moment, she hugged him back.

"One other thing, I talked to Steve while you were away. I am to tell you that this here, today, is just between us and will remain just between us." Clint kissed her forehead. "I love you, Nat."

She nodded, "I love you too."

In the end, she stayed and talked to Clint for a long time. He was her best friend after all and she felt like she'd left him out of a very significant development in her life: her relationship with Steve.

They parted, still best friends. He took a quinjet and went home to his wife and children for a quick visit; she went home to her handsome fiance' who welcomed her with open arms and a kiss that made her tingle down to her toes.

She ended up telling Steve everything. He turned out to be a very good listener and very pleased that she had elected to share something in relation to Clint with him. He knew they were tight and had been before he came along. He was glad she had a friend like the archer and that Clint had become his friend as well.

Steve listened to Natasha's story, she was blushing and embarrassed so he pulled her into his arms and held her while she continued. As always, she was amazed at how safe she felt in his arms and how comforting he was. She realized with a jolt that she trusted him without reservation. From the time she met him, throughout her WWII expedition to the present, doubt had never crossed her mind in relation to Steve Rogers.

"I really am safe with you, I just realized." Natasha shared her epiphany with the man she loved.

Steve looked down at her, reclining in his arms, "Of course you are, Natasha. Did you ever think you weren't?"

"I actually never thought about it to be honest. It just occurred to me that you've never given me a single reason to doubt anything about you, your feelings toward me, our relationship. Any hesitation or fears I had were in my own mind because of my own experiences from before."

"Before what?" Steve echoed.

"Before I met you." Natasha smiled up at him and he had to kiss her.

"I will always be there for you." Steve said into her hair as he nuzzled her neck.

"I hope you can trust me to be there for you as well." Nat whispered.

He heard her plainly. "Nat, I do trust you. I hope that you will learn to share your burdens with me just as you freely share your joys."

"Working on it." She kept her head on his shoulder and hugged him tighter.

"We'll work on it, together." Steve said and captured her mouth in a kiss that conveyed his love and passion quite clearly. Natasha melted into his kiss. The only thing she could do was cede control and enjoy where he took her.

The next day they waited with Bucky in Asgard for Peggy to show up. They'd all agreed on a date which would be after an appropriate mourning time for 1945 Steve had passed. Peggy would have to tread carefully since she would be the only one who knew the truth – that Steve was alive. Lost but alive. She also had told Bucky that she had an idea and wanted to see if she could get one more thing accomplished before she would vanish during a deep cover mission.

After a few hours of sightseeing with Thor, Heimdall contacted him to let him know that another woman had arrived. They all clamored over the bifrost to welcome their friend. Peggy was there with a big bag stuffed full of her things. Introductions had to wait while she and Bucky said hello. From the lip lock they were in, that might take awhile.

"I still can't believe that he's safe and here," Steve told Natasha. "Watching him with Peggy; they're so happy together. Just like we are." He hugged her close.

"You don't know what a relief it is that I managed to get him off that train. I thought he and I might both wind up dead. I was really worried about you if that happened." Natasha admitted.

Steve looked at her sharply, "Natasha...do we need to have another talk?"

"No," She said quickly, "I thought at first, if I missed grabbing him, I'd jump out of the train too, then grab him and yell for Heimdall. But it all worked out just the way it was supposed to."

Steve stared at her, "You do realize that you are digging yourself in deeper and deeper the more you explain, don't you?"

"Um...oops?" Nat grinned up at him.

"You'd better be just teasing me, Agent Romanoff," Steve warned her, but his mouth quirked up on one side.

She gave him a saucy smile and pulled away to hug Peggy, giving a little hop as Steve swatted her on her butt.

"Hello, darling," Peggy said. She hugged Nat with one arm since the other was still around Bucky.

"We're so glad you're here, Peggy," Nat said as she moved aside to let Steve in.

"I'm glad you're here for Bucky, Peggy. It means a lot to me that he is so happy. I can see how much you love him in your face." Steve smiled, delighted that his friends were a couple.

"I'm glad she's here too," Bucky said.

"Listen, while I've got you all right here, I wanted to share something." Peggy's bright brown eyes were sparkling. "I thought about a conversation Natalie...er...Natasha and I had back in the camp. We talked about what our plans for the future might be, remember Natasha?"

"I do remember that," Nat said.

"Well, I went a little further. I talked to Howard and Phillips about the same thing, what to do after the war. What I came up with was an organization dedicated to protecting the earth, investigating any phenomena that can't be explained...sort of like the FBI but with more powers."

"That sounds great," Natasha said. "What's the name of it?"

"Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division," Peggy said. "SHIELD for short."

"Shield?" Natasha asked.

"S.H.I.E.L.D., after Captain Steve Rogers, aka Captain America who always shielded and protected us, down to his last moments on earth." Peggy said. "I put the announcement in the eulogy I read at your memorial service, Steve," Peggy told them.

Steve was stunned. "Peggy, thank you. I don't know what to say except that I'm honored."

Peggy handed him a copy of the Articles of Incorporation for S.H.I.E.L.D., to read the founders list: Captain Steven G. Rogers (Captain America); Agent Margaret (Peggy) Carter, SSR; Howard Stark, Sergeant James B. Barnes (Bucky); Agent Natalie Rushman; Colonel Chester Phillips.

Natasha read over the document with Steve then pulled out her SHIELD ID and sure enough, all the names on the document were on the back of her ID card. She felt a little weak in the knees and felt a rush of nausea came over her. The act of bringing Peggy forward could have been disastrous for all of them if S.H.I.E.L.D. had not been founded by her, Howard and Col. Phillips.

Steve noticed that she was a bit wobbly. "Nat? Are you all right?"

"I need to sit down." Nat was still processing. She had thought she'd covered every contingency when she went back in time. Obviously she'd forgotten one very important thing. Thank goodness Peggy had her shit together and did what she was supposed to do.

"Peggy...I don't know what to say," Natasha tried to sound cheerful. Instead she went pale as her knees buckled. Steve caught her before she fractured her skull on the mosaic floor.

"Heimdall, will you please convey our thanks to Thor but I've got to get Natasha to a doctor right away," Steve said as he scooped Nat up in his powerful arms.

"I will, Captain Rogers," Heimdall nodded. "Prepare yourselves to return to your own world.

Peggy, Bucky and Steve put their hands together. Nat tried but moving her head made the room spin. She held on tightly to Steve as the rainbow lights came and the now familiar gut-wrenching twist as the world fell away once more.

When they materialized, Nat struggled out of Steve's arms and bolted for the nearest bathroom. Peggy came after her, slipping in and locking the door. She held Nat's hair as she purged her stomach into the trash can. "Darling, are you all right?"

"I don't know what the hell is wrong," Nat said, sliding down the wall to the floor. "I think I had a mild panic attack when I realized I had never discussed S.H.I.E.L.D. with you. Thank goodness you did it all on your own or I could have seriously fucked everything up for everybody."

"You should be pleased then," Peggy smiled at her.

"Oh, I am, believe me. Thank you for taking care of something I never thought to ask you to take care of. Now I'm going to ask Steve to bust my ass again for being an idiot." Nat looked out at Peggy from between her fingers.

Peggy laughed, "You're fine, love. I'm certain Steve will oblige you if that's what you wish but you can opt to keep this between us."

Natasha laughed ruefully. "Yeah, I guess I could do that. Would you ask Bucky if he has an extra cigarette?"

"Sure, wait right there." Peggy went out the door.

Nat washed her face and hands, making sure she hadn't splashed barf over anything and went back out the door. Bucky handed her a cigarette as she came out. "Where's Steve?"

"Steve went to get Dr. Banner; he's really worried about you, baby doll." Bucky said, as he lit his and her cigarettes.

The three walked outside to smoke – Nat sat down on one of the benches. She looked less pale and more composed now. Peggy sat next to her while Bucky paced.

"Natasha!" Steve's voice came from inside the building. Bucky ran to the doors and waved to him. Steve came jogging out with Bruce on his heels.

"Sweetheart, are you all right?" Steve sat down between her and Peggy, pulling her into a hug. She put the cigarette out in the ashtray next to the bench.

"I think so. I think I just had a panic attack is all." Nat patted his leg and looked up at Bruce who knelt in front of her.

"Mind if I take a look, just to be certain?" Bruce asked, smiling.

Nat nodded her consent. Bruce checked her pupils, her pulse, her respiration and oxygen saturation. Everything checked out. "Everything's normal and she doesn't have a fever. Maybe it was just a mild panic attack. I'd encourage you to go to your own doctor anyway, just to be on the safe side."

"What would trigger a panic attack?," Steve frowned at her. "Is there something you haven't told me yet?" Damn it. He really was too perceptive sometimes.

Natasha visibly flinched. "Can I just ask you for another spanking and then we forget the whole thing?"

Steve looked surprised, then he smiled at her, "Why don't we talk about what exactly it is that triggered this before we talk about repercussions."

"No, I think I'd rather just have the spanking." Nat leaned across his lap. Bucky and Peggy both snickered. Bruce got up and out of the way, chuckling.

Steve lifted her up, rose and took her hand. "I think we need to talk first. Bruce, thank you for checking her out. Bucky, Peggy, would you all like to meet for dinner later?"

"Sure, Steve, that would be fine if Natasha is up for it," Bucky said.

"I've got a thing with Tony, maybe another time," Bruce told them before going back inside the tower.

"All right," Steve said, "Let's get you home." He was so tall, so handsome, so blonde, so earnest. He made her happy just looking at him.


	23. Promises, Playtime & Planning

After they got home, Nat fessed up that she hadn't been kidding about the train and Bucky. She also admitted to forgetting the S.H.I.E.L.D. detail and being overwhelmed about it. "Thank the gods that Peggy had her shit together. I think it just hit me how much I could have really fucked everything up."

Steve sat and listened to her until she was done. "I'm glad you finally decided to tell me the whole truth, Natasha."

"Are you mad?" Nat asked him.

"I'm not mad, just very disappointed that after everything we talked about, you would still withhold...no, you lied. You lied to me, Natasha." He got up and started pacing.

"Oh shit, Steve. I said I was sorry." Nat took his hand. "Please just be mad. I can't bear disappointing you."

Steve shook his head and wouldn't meet her eyes. He didn't pull his hand away though so she was encouraged. "Yell at me, stomp around; throw something. You'll feel better."

"I would feel better if I knew you trusted me enough to be honest." Steve said.

"God damn it, Steve, I do trust you and while I am not always honest, sometimes I'm not for a good reason."

"Natasha, I'm surprised at you. Are you seriously going to make excuses for lying to me?" He frowned at her.

"I told you I was a bad person. You said it didn't matter! I didn't tell you everything...well...because I thought it would worry you…and also because I thought it would make you bust my ass harder." She looked up at him through her eyelashes with her little half smile.

"Well...you were not wrong about that," Steve admitted. She looked so cute, so repentant, and so deliciously naughty. Even when she pissed him off, she was wonderful.

"Please don't shut me off and not talk to me, Steve. You asked me not to do that, remember?" Natasha reminded him.

He looked at her then. "You're right, I did ask you not to do that."

"I also assumed that you wouldn't lie to me." She could see in his eyes that he was frustrated with her.

"I can't take this. Just spank me, for fuck's sake." Nat's voice was louder and more insistent.

"I'd rather talk this through," Steve said. "I told you that I wouldn't give up on you or us and I meant that. I am not spanking you over this."

"Of course you won't." Natasha rolled her eyes and sighed. "It makes so much more sense going through yet another long-assed discussion."

"Seriously? Is that what you want, Natasha? A spanking?" Steve's voice took on the tone of, You Really Don't Want To Play This Game Baby, as he moved back toward her on the couch.

"I want you to not be disappointed in me! If you're mad, I can deal with it. I can't stand it when I know I'm once again not up to your standards and have frustrated you." Natasha moved slightly out of reach and sulked.

Steve looked at her for a long while. "I should have said, I was disappointed in your behavior, not in you. I apologize for not making that clear. I don't have a standard, Natasha. You are perfect just the way you are. The only thing I would change is that I want clear, honest and open communication between us. No more lying. Can we work on that together?"

"Fine." Nat said, without looking at him.

"Natasha..." There was a thread of warning in his voice.

"I said, fine." That was delivered in a flat tone.

"Will you please come here?" He chose his words carefully and opened his arms.

Slowly, she went to him. He enfolded her in his arms, breathing in her scent and enjoying the feeling of her smaller body against his larger frame. "I love you, Nat. I don't want to fight with you."

"I don't want to fight either."

"I can't lose you, sweetheart."

"You're not going to lose me. And I'll try to do better." He missed her eye roll.

"I will as well," Steve smiled and kissed her gently. She balked at first but opened to him and relaxed in his arms.

"I think I like your playful spankings better than all this." Nat groused against his chest. "Maybe we can role play naughty red haired spy and strict Captain America."

Steve chuckled, "Maybe later. I can honestly say that you have an adorable bottom and it is very hard not to touch it or pat it."

She moved his hand down to the anatomy in question. "Touch away."

He smoothed his hand over her bum, patted it and she wriggled happily. That made him laugh and he stretched out on the couch pulling her with him until they were side by side and he could reach everything better.

Natasha melted into him. She had missed his touch, his kiss, his scent. He hitched her leg up over his hip, slid his hand over her bottom and pulled her against him. She kissed him with increasing fervor, feeling his hard length straining through his jeans.

Steve's breathing sped up as she rocked against him. He pulled her tightly to him, stood up and headed toward his bedroom. "Bed?" He asked between kisses.

"Yeah, hurry." Natasha was already unbuttoning his shirt as he tumbled them onto the middle of his bed. His hands focused on getting her sweater over her head while she finished with his shirt and pushed it off his shoulders. Both shirt and sweater hit the floor as he slid a knee between her thighs and pinned her beneath him.

His tongue was in her mouth and she sucked on it. He made the slow click of first her zipper then his into an erotic moment. She reached down to help him push her tight jeans over her hips. Steve pulled them down, then off. Nat shoved at his jeans impatiently until he sat up and stripped them off.

Nat was wearing an intriguing front closure bra and panties set in a deep purple that left nothing to the imagination. Steve kissed his way down from between her breasts, down her stomach, to the edge of her panties. She lay back as she realized his intent. Slowly, he peeled them off her, then pulled her legs over his shoulders.

At the first stroke of his tongue, Natasha nearly came undone. His mouth, tongue and fingers played her like a violin. She was pressing into his mouth and against his hand almost frantically. Her moans and happy sounds were all he needed to know. He'd missed the taste of her, missed the sounds from her when he made her climax, missed being buried to the hilt inside her.

"Close...god, Steve...so close..." She panted as he plied her with his mouth.

"Let go, sweetheart. I'm here to catch you. Let go for me." Steve's voice was heavy with passion as he watched her straining against his hand. He lowered his head again, his tongue matching his fingers in depth and movement. A little suction at the right moment and she came, crying his name. The taste of her orgasm fueled his own fire even more.

Natasha let him help her ride it out then pulled him up over her. Steve stroked her opening then eased into her, gathering her hips in his hands. "Natasha...I need you...I need..."

She pulled him down for a kiss and lifted her hips to receive his thrust. He rocked into her as deeply as he could go, savoring the feeling of their bodies joining, the friction they were creating together. She wrapped her legs and arms around him, whispering urgent encouragement between kisses.

Steve braced on his lower arms, kissing her as he took them up to the pentacle. He caught her sweet cries in his mouth as she climaxed over him; the sucking caress of her orgasm pulling at him. He followed her over the edge a moment later, pouring into her as he brought them together. They lay savoring every shudder, holding each other as tightly as they dared.

"I've missed you so much, Nat." Steve breathed into her neck.

"I love you, Steve. Please don't leave me."

He looked at her, "Why on earth would I leave you?"

"I'm really not trying to be a pain in the ass," Natasha said.

Steve settled beside her and pulled her close, "We are both new at this relationship thing. I think we should remember to be patient with each other."

"Okay." She sniffed.

"I tell you what...I think you've been my fiance' long enough. Why don't we get married?" Steve stroked her cheek and looked at her with such love that Nat started to cry.

"Oh my god, you know just what to say all the time! It's not natural!" Natasha blubbered into his chest.

Steve's eyes widened then he laughed from pure joy. She was the most wonderful woman he'd ever known. His heart nearly burst with love as he wiped her tears away and kissed her.

"Now, stop crying honey. I don't want you to ever doubt that I will always be there, Natasha." Steve told her, smiling. "Getting married will cement that commitment for you."

He patted her bottom and she laughed through her happy tears. "I swear you're not real; I dreamed you up."

"Sweetheart, I feel the same about you. You fell out of my dreams and into my life and I don't regret a moment." Steve relaxed into her arms as she cuddled against him. "I would like to ask you a favor though..."

"What favor?" Natasha looked up at him.

"You seem to be much more emotional since you came back to this time. You've been crying a lot, for you. I'd like to ask you to have Bruce really check you out to see if that can have had an effect on your emotions." Steve said, caressing her cheek.

"You're right, I have been a lot more sensitive to everything, now that you mention it." Natasha frowned as she thought about it.

"I'm sure it's nothing," Steve assured her, "I just think it would be a good idea to double check everything."

"Okay, I'll ask Bruce tomorrow," Natasha promised, settling back into his arms.

He held her for the duration as they napped. When they rose, they showered, dressed then went to meet Bucky and Peggy for dinner.

Steve had suggested a well known steak house for dinner with everyone's enthusiastic agreement. The four friends enjoyed a lovely meal together. During dessert, Steve informed them that he and Natasha were getting married as soon as possible. Peggy and Bucky were overjoyed. Natasha unexpectedly started crying again. They all stared at her.

"Sweetheart, what in the world?" Steve put his arm around her and dried her face with his napkin.

"I don't know what's wrong with me." Nat hiccuped between sobs. "Steve wants Bruce to check me over to see if its residual from the time travel."

Peggy's eyes were wide. "Bucky and I haven't had anything like that and we came forward with you."

"Yes, but she started here, went back, then forward again," Steve pointed out. "Whatever the reason we'll handle it together."

Natasha gave him a grateful smile. He kissed her forehead and hugged her at the table. Just as quickly, her tears faded and she felt back to her old self again. This was weird. She was definitely talking to Bruce.

"Bucky, we haven't set a date yet but would you stand up with me as my best man?" Steve asked his lifelong friend.

Bucky's grin went from ear to ear. "I'd be honored, Steve."

"Peggy, will you be my maid of honor?" Natasha asked her new friend.

Peggy's grin was as wide as Bucky's. "Darling, are you certain? You must have some friends you've known longer than me."

"Yes, but you and Bucky were literally there throughout the beginnings of our relationship. I feel like you've been my friend through a very confusing time in my life and I'd like to celebrate that." Natasha toasted Peggy with her iced tea.

"Then I would be honored to stand up with you," Peggy clinked her glass to Natasha's.

Afterwards they all went back to the Avenger's Mansion where Bucky and Peggy were staying. Natasha rummaged around and found a deck of Cards Against Humanity. She made up a new feature to the game where every time Steve blushed, they all got 5 points. It was great fun until her stomach roiled and she had to bolt for the nearest bathroom again.

When she emerged, a little pale and sweaty, Steve suggested they call it a night. Peggy promised to call the next day and stepped back into Bucky's arms as they waved. Steve helped Nat onto the back of his motorcycle and they went straight to her apartment where she had a stash of ginger ale for her stomach.

She ran to the bathroom to freshen up while Steve poured her a ginger ale over crushed ice and fixed a cola for himself. While she was gone, he looked over her apartment. It was newer and lighter in decor than his. There were touches of Russia here and there, including the larch wood bear Bruce had gotten her for her birthday. He liked her tastes and the openness of the floor plan.

Nat came out of the bathroom in a barely there sheer, short emerald green nightgown. Steve nearly dropped his drink. "Feeling better, honey?"

"Much better," Nat purred as she took the drink he handed her and sipped it.

Steve watched in wide eyed fascination as she slinked across the floor to the chaise lounge she had set up in one corner of her living room. "Just so you know," she said in her smoky voice, "I've never brought any man here, not even Clint. You are the first I've let into every aspect of my private life."

"I am very flattered, sweetheart," only Steve Rogers could pull off that line and sound completely sincere, because he was.

Natasha set her drink down on the coffee table next to the chaise. "Want to come show me how flattered you are?"

Steve smiled and came to her, "Is this where we play naughty Russian spy versus Captain America?"

Natasha grinned and backed away from him, "Maybe...but you'll have to catch me first." She pirouetted away and would have made it except Steve was faster.

He caught her and tossed her over his shoulder much to her delight. "Now young lady, you will tell me everything I want to know," he said in his most authoritative voice.

"No, I won't. You can't break me, soldier!" Nat squeaked as he carried her into the bedroom and flipped her onto the bed. She bounced and tried to scuttle away but he had her.

He pinned her down and started tickling her. "Tell me you love me."

"Ahahahaha! I love you!" Nat gasped.

"Tell me you want to marry me." Steve growled, digging his fingers gently into her ribs.

"Stop! Stop! I want to marry you!" Natasha was helpless in the face of the super soldier's determination to tickle her.

He stopped tickling and started kissing, "See? Isn't that much easier when you cooperate with the interrogator?"

She looked up into his impossibly blue eyes, "But I'm not really cooperating. I'm setting a trap."

His eyebrows rose and he got a wicked grin on his face, "I think you need to be taught a lesson."

"And what kind of lesson would that be?" Nat nuzzled his neck.

Steve gathered her in his arms, kissed her deeply then flipped her over, face down over his lap. "The kind naughty, provocative spies need after tormenting their super soldier fiance'."

Nat was laughing and squirming as he spanked her playfully. He sat her back up then toppled them both over onto the bed, pinning her again. "Did you learn your lesson?"

"Of course I did," She nodded solemnly, nipping his full lower lip while running her hand down his chest to his abdomen. He shuddered at her touch as she pulled his shirt out of his jeans.

Steve looked her dead in the eye as he unbuckled his belt and slowly unzipped his jeans. When he was free, he moved up her body, capturing her mouth as he eased into her. The silky nightgown was pushed up around her waist as she wrapped her legs around his hips. They moved together, each knowing exactly what the other needed. It was hard, fast and intense, leaving them both panting after a shattering climax.

"I can't remember what my life was like before you were in it," Steve caressed her cheek and kissed her tenderly.

Nat started sniffling, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her face into his chest. Steve held her tightly, as always, her shelter, her comfort for the emotional storms she weathered. "Nat, sweetheart, I didn't mean to make you cry."

"You didn't," she sobbed. "You just always say the sweetest things. I love you so much."

He chuckled, holding her close, a bastion of strength and love for her. Still, he was worried. These outbursts of emotion were so unlike Natasha, he hoped that if it were tied to her time traveling adventures that Bruce might have an idea of how to alleviate it for her. He didn't mind it himself. It was nice to feel like she needed him for something but it wasn't his Natasha. He knew it was bothering her as well.

"I love you too, sweetheart." Gently he disengaged from her, stripped off his clothes and tucked them both into bed. Nat curled up, her back against his broad, warm chest and let him hold her. She'd stopped crying and now just enjoyed the luxurious feeling of being held by her hero.

In the morning, Peggy called. Nat dressed quickly, gave Steve a quick kiss and was out the door to pick up her friend. The two of them went in search of the one person who could help them plan a quick, private wedding: Pepper Potts.


	24. Nice Day For An Avenger Wedding

They took Pepper off site from the Tower so when she shrieked after being told, she wouldn't alert Tony to anything. Nat wanted to have everything planned out and invite everyone to a dinner which would turn into a surprise wedding. Pepper was delirious with joy to be asked to help. Nat explained they wanted something small with just Bucky and Peggy standing up with them, preferably outside.

Pepper said the mansion grounds would be best for that and suggested that Steve and Natasha move in there with Bucky and Peggy since there was plenty of room and each couple could have their own wing. It would keep them out of the Tower and away from any interruptions well meaning friends in the Avengers' Tower or facilities might bring.

Natasha had an idea for her dress and discussed it with Pepper and Peggy. She felt it was a little phony for Black Widow to be wearing all white so she devised a plan with Pepper who called in a reputable designer to draw it up. Pepper said she and Tony would pay for everything. Natasha was dismayed.

"Pepper, thank you so much, but that is completely not necessary. Steve and I have money." Nat told her friend.

"It's our pleasure, Natasha...or it will be when I inform Tony." Pepper laughed.

"I don't know what to say," Natasha was at a loss. She was still new to this having real girlfriends thing.

"You'll say, 'I do', at the appropriate moment," Pepper hugged her.

"Thank you, Pepper. Really, thank you so much for that and all your help." Natasha was horrified to begin weeping again.

Surprised, Pepper held her and hugged her tightly. "It's all right, Natasha. Really. I'm just glad Tony and I can do something for you and Steve."

"Darling, you were going to go to the doctor and get that checked out." Peggy reminded her.

"Doctor!?" Pepper was aghast. "Are you sick?"

"No, no...Steve wants me to talk to Bruce and find out why I'm so emotional since I got back from 1945." Nat told her, drying her eyes.

"I hope it's nothing," Pepper said. "If you need me to get Tony out of the Tower again so you can see Bruce privately, I will be happy to."

"Would you? I feel like a shit asking you for yet another favor though." Nat said.

"Tony is not the most subtle person, trust me. You remember when you worked for him." Pepper grinned.

"God, yes. I do not want him any wiser about any of this if we can help it." Natasha grinned back.

"You and Peggy talk to Steve and Bucky and I'll have the moving vans ready: One for your apartment and one for Steve's. Just let me know if they agree to you all living in the mansion." Pepper said. "Now, let me get Tony out of the Tower and you can go see Bruce."

Pepper excused herself to make her phone call. Peggy asked Natasha, "Do you want me to go with you to the Doctor?"

"I don't want you to be bored while I'm getting the once over," Nat replied.

"It's no bother, darling. We are friends." Peggy's smile was genuine and she patted Nat's shoulder.

"Then I'd really appreciate it," Nat said.

Pepper came back just then, "Go, you've got the rest of the afternoon. I told Tony that I saw one of his old girlfriends in town. We're off to D.C. until tomorrow."

"You are a terrible person, Pepper," Nat snorted, "I'm so proud of you!"

Pepper laughed and held the door for them. They all went to the limo to be dropped off at their various residences. Nat grabbed her car and went back to the mansion to pick up Peggy before heading to the Tower.

At the Tower, they quickly tracked down Bruce after confirming with JARVIS that Tony had indeed left the building. Bruce kindly sequestered the three of them in a room further back from the main lab so no one could see them. To Natasha's surprise, Dr. Erskine joined the group.

"I was hoping that Dr. Erskine could provide additional insight here," Bruce explained.

"Hey, every little bit helps," Nat said.

Dr. Erskine suggested they run over Natasha's original file with her to make certain nothing had been missed. They started a laborious head to foot external exam first. Dr. Erskine would describe an injury or scar that Natasha had received and Bruce would confirm it on her body.

Bruce suddenly stopped, staring down at Nat on the table, "Repeat that last one please, Doctor?"

"A bullet wound, through and through, top of left hip. No skeletal damage, wound healed without incident – large circular keloid scar."

"Natasha, what happened to the scar?" Bruce asked.

A sharp look at him told her that he wasn't being funny. Nat looked down at her abdomen. The ugly looking scar which she used to sport on her hip had vanished.

"What the hell?" Natasha smoothed her hand over the area in disbelief. She pulled up her gown on the right side as well just to make certain she wasn't loosing her mind. Nothing there either.

Dr. Erskine came to observe as well. "How long did you have that scar, my dear?"

"Since the year before I joined the Avengers. It happened in Odessa on a mission." Natasha replied.

"So about four years ago?" Bruce asked.

"Yes," Natasha said. "I don't understand...what happened to the wound then?

"I have no idea," Bruce said. He produced a hand scanner and ran it all over her abdomen from hip to hip. "Nothing. There is no healed tissue, no scar tissue...nothing to indicate that you were shot at all."

Natasha was all kinds of confused. "I'm telling you I was shot. Trust me, it was several days in hospital until they determined it was healing well enough on it's own. Oh and it also chipped the upper part of my pelvis where the bullet went through."

"Yeah, see there's nothing on the bone either. It's perfect." Bruce rubbed his chin in thought.

"I don't see how this could be connected to her time travel though," Dr. Erskine said what they were all thinking.

"That's what we're trying to figure out. It doesn't make sense at all." Bruce got some vials and a syringe out and drew a lot of blood from her. "I'm going to do a full screen; test for everything. This doesn't make any sense at all. For what it's worth, Natasha, I believe you. I know you were shot. S.H.I.E.L.D. is not going to make a mistake like that in an operative's file."

"Thanks Bruce...Dr. Erskine. I really appreciate both of you trying to figure this out." Nat said solemnly as she dressed behind a screen in the room.

"I've got all your symptoms listed as well," Bruce said. We'll get to the bottom of this, don't worry. I will call you as soon as I get anything comprehensible in."

"Oh that reminds me, Steve and I are going to be moving over to the mansion to be closer to Bucky and Peggy. We'll be having a dinner party soon, you both will come won't you?"

"That sounds great, Natasha," Bruce said.

Dr. Erskine added his own confirmation: "Thank you, my dear for making me feel like I am part of this big family of yours."

"You're very welcome." Nat said as she and Peggy left.

Peggy put her arm over Nat's shoulders. Nat wrapped her own arm around the taller woman's waist. "Peggy, thank you for coming with me."

"You're welcome, darling. Now, should we make the rounds to invite the rest of our friends?" Peggy smiled and hugged Nat one-armed.

"Let's do it." They raced to Natasha's car like children, laughing and hoping that things would look brighter for Natasha soon.

After leaving a note for Tony and Pepper, talking with Clint and Thor, Nat dropped Peggy off and went home to see if Steve were around. She tried her apartment first and struck out so she went to his and used her key to get in. Picking the locks were more fun but since Steve had gone through the trouble of providing a key, she'd use it.

She heard the shower running and decided to surprise him. Stripping off her clothes, she sneaked into the bathroom and gently opened the glass door to the shower. His back was turned to her so she slithered up behind him and smacked him on his beautifully chiseled ass. Steve whirled around and would have decked her if she hadn't ducked.

"Natasha! Damn it! I could have hurt you!" Steve's commanding baritone did nothing to stop the petite spy from sliding down the tiled wall, laughing her ass off.

"That was great! Ahahahaha!" Natasha was quite beside herself with glee.

Steve glared at her and pulled her up and into a hug. He chuckled and smacked her ass right back, making her jump. "You are asking for trouble."

"Only the best kind," Natasha purred and reached up to kiss him. "Kissing trouble or trouble, trouble?"

Steve smiled against her lips, "Kissing now if you behave."

He lifted her and put her up against the tile. He was strong enough to hold her with one hand, easily but got a firm grip on her as she squirmed to get closer to him, wrapping her legs around his waist. As he lowered her onto his heavy erection, she made happy noises and bit his earlobe lightly.

Steve groaned and nibbled at her neck as he began to move slowly within her. Natasha wriggled, trying to get him to increase his speed but he held her steady and continued with slow, deliberate thrusts until she was clutching at him like a life preserver. He kissed her deeply over and over; taking his time with her, wanting to make her feel every bit of his love for her.

She reached between them to hurry things along but he caught her hands gently in one of his and pinned them above her head. "Steve, please..." she moaned against his mouth.

"I get to touch you, just relax and let me love you, sweetheart." Steve's voice had the rougher edge to it which could get her wet in a space of seconds if she hadn't already been fully lubricated. He reached down and gently stroked her sensitive flesh with the barest of touches.

"God, yes, more...more..." She was panting against his mouth. He never stopped, never slowed, just kept up his steady rhythm inside her.

Soon she was coming apart on him, the sucking caress of her orgasm pulling him in deeper. He groaned when he felt the rhythmic clenching, grabbed her ass with both hands and thrust hard and fast while she braced herself against his shoulders.

He came hard enough that he was shaking against her, pinning her body to the tiled wall with his own heavier frame as he poured into her. In his whole life he could never have imagined sex would feel and be as good as this; that he would love someone as much as he loved her.

"You are every wish come true for me, Natasha." He panted, resting their foreheads together.

"I dreamed about you too, Steve. Before we ever met." She held him tightly with her arms and clamped down on him to keep him inside her.

"Then we both are blessed beyond imagining." Steve gently lifted her and set her on her feet. Together they soaped each other up and rinsed off. Once they were sparkling clean, they ran into the bedroom for a further romp.

Afterward, Natasha lay in his arms and told him about the events of the day. Steve thought the surprise wedding was a great idea, if Natasha truly didn't have a prior idea of what she wanted. She pointed out that she'd never thought of marriage and family before so this was perfect for her. He really perked up at the idea of sharing the Avengers Mansion with Peggy and Bucky. Natasha told him how excited their friends were about the idea so they called Pepper and let her know that the moving trucks could roll.

"Please tell me you also took the time to see Bruce," Steve looked at her suddenly as he remembered.

"I did. Peggy went with me. There's something really weird though, I used to have a scar here from a gunshot wound and since I went back in time, it's vanished with no trace of the wound or the damage." She indicated the place on her hip.

Steve thought about it, "Now that you mention it, I did notice before you left. I had my mind on other things when you returned so I wasn't examining you that closely."

"Yeah, Banner and Erskine both have no explanation for it. They're running every test known to man, they know my heightened emotional state and now they've got this vanishing scar to deal with. Bruce said he'd call me if they found anything." Nat snuggled down into his arms for a quick nap before dinner. Moving day was right around the corner.

When the last moving truck left, the four friends stood in the front yard of their home. It felt right having Bucky and Peggy here with them, Natasha decided. Steve was so happy having his best friend, his first best girl and his fiancee' in the same place at the same time. Bucky and Peggy were pretty stoked as well. Natasha had made all of it possible with her grit and her resolve, all because of her love for Steve, the man they all loved with all their hearts.

A week later with Pepper's underhanded help, they were ready for their dinner party. They'd labeled it a housewarming party and stressed that everyone just dress casually and no gifts. Steve and Natasha discussed wedding attire at length. She assured him that she had gotten the perfect dress with Pepper's help and that she planned to change in to something more casual after the ceremony.

Steve was torn. Part of him wanted to dress in his dress uniform from World War II, he was still an active duty service member and had even received a promotion to full bird Colonel. He was entitled to a military wedding if he chose. Another part of him wanted to wear his Captain America uniform since the Avengers had been how they met but wasn't sure since Natasha wanted to marry Steve Rogers. The other problem then was, did Steve Rogers want to wear a tuxedo or did he want to wear what he would normally wear on a date, a nice sport coat, slacks and a tie?

"Peggy?" Steve beckoned her over from one of her dashes down the hall to help Natasha get ready. She stopped and raised her eyebrows at him.

"Steve, what is it? I'm trying to get your bride ready for you."

"I need some advice on what I'm wearing." Steve frowned.

"Steve, you could come out in your boxers and Natasha will be just as delighted as if you were in full dress. Wear what you feel comfortable in. She will love you in whatever it is, I assure you." Peggy turned on her heel and hustled back to where Natasha waited with Pepper.

Peggy ducked into the room and slammed the door. "Men. Jesus. They are all incredibly dense sometimes."

"What happened?" Natasha's eyes were wide.

"Nothing, darling. Your man is having wardrobe issues. Can't decide what you'll be most happy with him wearing." Peggy grinned at her.

"As long as he's there, he could be in his boxers." Natasha laughed.

"That is exactly what I told him, funny enough," Peggy joined her laughter.

"I think it would be great if he wore his Captain American uniform," Pepper said. "It would go perfectly with this dress."

Natasha stood and turned around to look in the full length mirror. Pepper had finished with her hair; it was up in a beautiful chignon with a few of her red curls scattered about framing her face. The dress itself was silver and flowed like water around Nat's curves.

On her bodice was Steve's shield all in crystal, and it sparkled like gems, bouncing off the silvery fabric and the walls of the bedroom. The red and blue beads in concentric circles were a softer pastel version of the real thing and the star was pure white crystal, sparkling like one in the heavens. The dress hit her above the knee in front and flowed behind her to the floor. Her boots were silver and came up to her thigh.

"I'm going to go tell him to wear his Cap uniform," Pepper said, and took off to find Steve.

"Do I look all right?" Natasha asked Peggy, suddenly unsure if she'd made the right choice.

Peggy handed her the bouquet, red roses, blue forget-me-nots and white lily of the valley; a red white and blue display of beauty that was completely outshone by the woman holding them.

"Darling, you will take his breath away." Peggy's smile was all the mirror Natasha needed.

"Well all right then." Nat said, steeling herself for being part of the center of attention. She would have just gone to the courthouse with Steve but he, Peggy, Bucky and Pepper insisted on a real wedding.

Bucky knocked on the door, "Everyone's here, Nat. You ready?"

"Yes, thank you, Bucky."

Immediately after there was another knock. Peggy opened it and stepped back to reveal Tony Stark with Pepper trying to pull him away.

"Little Red? Pepper had to spill the beans since we're all waiting with someone who is obviously a minister. Would you be willing to allow me to give you away?" Tony held out his hand to her, with a smile and not a smirk.

Natasha looked dubious for a moment, then relented. If Tony were acting like a real person, she'd take it.

"Thanks, Tony." She put her hand in his and allowed him to draw her into the hallway.

"You look beautiful, Natasha. I mean it. You're going to make Spangles faint in that dress." Tony patted her hand as he tucked it into his elbow.

"Thank you. I hope so." Nat blushed.

Pepper and Peggy hurried past them to get in position. Tony walked slowly, letting Natasha set the pace. She looked up at him and stopped before they got to the door. "Tony...I was going to thank you after the ceremony but thank you...for everything you and Pepper have done for Steve and I and for Bucky and Peggy. I mean it. We both appreciate your and Pepper's friendship."

Tony looked surprised, "Hey, Little Red, we're all family, remember? But you're quite welcome."

He waited a moment longer, "Ready?"

She nodded and took a deep breath. "Well all right then."

Tony led her out the door and into the evening autumn sunlight. Peggy, Bucky were at the front, next to the minister; all their colleagues and friends were spread out to make an aisle. And there was Steve, looking breathtakingly handsome waiting for her with the biggest smile she'd ever seen on his face, in his Captain America uniform sans helmet.

When Natasha stepped out of their home on Tony's arm, Steve thought he would burst with joy and pride. His Natasha, dressed in a stunningly beautiful feminine rendition of his own uniform, with his shield on her chest. The crystals sparkled in the sunlight and turned the pathway in front of her to fairy lights. Her hair was done up in a way he'd never seen before, framing her delicate features and big green eyes. He'd never seen anyone so lovely. No one else could have pulled off that dress but her. She was breathtaking.

Tony handed her off to Steve with tears in his eyes. Their Little Red and Captain America were tying the knot. Watching the man he'd admired his entire life marrying a woman he considered his deadliest friend was very moving. Pepper took his arm and pulled him back among the rest of the friends.

Steve took Nat's hand from Tony, his eyes almost glowing blue. She looked up at him and all he could see was love in her face. All she could see was the most amazing man in the world holding her hand and making sure everyone knew what they had was sacred and permanent.

Steve leaned down just a little and whispered, "I've never seen anyone look as beautiful as you do every day, but today, you put the stars to shame, Natasha."

The sudden sting of tears bit her eyes and Nat bit her lip to keep her rioting emotions under control. She'd heard him clearly and it touched her heart just as everything else he did.

"Do you, Steven Grant Rodgers take this woman for your lawfully wedded wife?" The minister was asking.

"I do." Steve answered in his beautiful, strong baritone.

"Do you, Natalia Allianova Romanoff take this man for your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do." Natasha's voice was just as strong but a lot more sultry.

"Do you have the rings?" The minister continued. Peggy and Bucky stepped forward and handed their respective rings to Nat and Steve.

"With this ring, I thee wed," Steve took Nat's left hand and slid a beautiful ring onto it. It was a band of diamonds and sapphires. Right after it, he slid a plain gold band on then her engagement ring. He kissed all three and winked at her.

"With this ring, I thee wed," Natasha said, taking Steve's left hand and sliding a band of diamonds and emeralds on, then a twin to the plain gold band Steve had placed on her finger. They'd both wanted something a little different so they opted for stones that reminded them of each other's eye color. The gold bands were what they planned to wear most of the time."

"By the power vested in me by the District of Columbia, I pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride." The minister finished with a smile.

Steve swept her up into a kiss that rocked her world, spun her mind and melted her down to her toes. There was a rousing cheer from the assembled company but Natasha barely heard them. What she did hear is Steve saying, "I love you, Natasha Rogers," as he broke the kiss and looked into her eyes.


	25. Settling In

After the wedding cheers died down a bit, everyone congratulated the happy couple. Clint, Laura and their three kids were delighted that Auntie Nat and Uncle Steve were now officially part of their own family. Bruce showed up with a staggeringly beautiful brunette whom he introduced as Dr. Betty Ross. He'd brought her in to help with Natasha's case. He trusted her because she used to be his fiancee' and besides himself, Betty was one of the most respected nuclear biologists in the world.

Thor was there with Jane, looking like a golden viking. Jane loved the ceremony but only had eyes for her demi-god. With her was Erik Selvig and her assistant Darcy who was eyeing the buffet table with anticipation. Dr. Erskine was there, without a date but occupying himself with Clint's children.

The Warrior's Three were also present. Fandral, Hogun, and Volstagg had gotten to know Steve during everyone's stay in Asgard and felt it was their duty to stand with their friend on this important day. Lady Sif was also there. She and Steve had talked a great deal about fighting techniques, battles and strategy and had become good friends. Natasha hadn't been sure about the whole thing but realized Steve could never be unfaithful and truly liked the tall, Asgardian warrior. He hoped she and Sif could become friends as well.

Maria Hill was on Nick Fury's arm. She'd talked him into coming even though things had not completely cooled down between him and Steve in particular over Natasha's disappearance. She'd made him promise no shop talk today, just enjoy the wedding and be pleasant.

As Steve and Natasha surveyed their family of choice, she had a wistful moment, "I wish Phil Coulson could have been here."

"Me too. He was a good man." Steve kept his arm around her and hugged her tightly. "I'd probably have married you after that first Battle for New York, you know, if I'd thought you would have said 'yes'."

"Really?" Natasha looked up at her new husband.

"Really. I'd never seen anyone as beautiful and brave as you were. You took my breath away then, just like you're doing today." His eyes were warm and still the most beautiful shade of blue she'd ever seen.

"Oh, Steve..." Natasha burst into tears and hugged him as tightly as she could. "I'm still so glad you picked me. I wasn't very nice to you when you met me. I'm so sorry about that."

"Nat, what in the world…?" Steve, seeing the tears scooped her up in his arms, and carried her into the house amid applause as she buried her face into his neck. Once they were safely inside, he sat her down in their living area and handed her a handkerchief.

"Sweetheart, talk to me. What's going on?" Steve knelt in front of her, tilting up her chin.

"You're just so wonderful and you always say the right things and I didn't understand how you could be so nice and sweet to someone you'd barely met and who was planning to seduce you and I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't loved me back and shit, I'm crying but I'm just so happy and..."

He kissed her. Mostly to get her to take a minute and breathe. Also because he recognized her tendency to speak in run on sentences when she got into one of her newly acquired overly-emotional states.

When he pulled back, he chuckled and lifted her onto his lap. "You are the love of my life, Natasha. Now you are mine just as much as I am yours. We are in it together, no matter what occurs. I will always, always be here."

"Thank you, Steve. I am so sorry you have to contend with an emotionally unglued woman." Natasha smiled at him through her tears."I don't know what the hell is wrong with me."

"Trust me, sweetheart, you are not a problem." Steve held her tightly. We're going to get through all of this together. Now we'll do it as man and wife."

Suddenly he honed in on what she'd said, "Wait a minute, did you just say you were planning to seduce me when we first met?"

Natasha clapped a hand over her mouth. "Oh shit, I said that out loud."

Steve's bemused expression told her she had indeed said it out loud. "On the helicarrier...you were planning on seducing me...when we had known each other for just a few minutes?"

Natasha blushed, "I...wasn't in a good place right then. I thought... I thought...", she couldn't continue. She was too mortified.

"You thought…?" Steve prompted her.

"I thought I would use sex to keep my mind off how worried I was about Clint missing and being under Loki's control. You were there, handsome, capable, sexy and you handled everything and everyone so well; including me when I had that melt down. It was very, very attractive to me. It still is." She admitted.

Steve was smiling one of his rare big smiles and blushing a little himself. He found he was smiling more and more when she was around. "I don't know if I would have been brave enough to take you up on it, at that time. Not having any experience myself and being seduced by the Black Widow...I don't know, Natasha. You were pretty intimidating to me back then."

"I was?" She was surprised. "I was intimidated by you. You were this living legend who was totally living up to the legend. I couldn't believe when this famous hero took the time to find me and see if I was alright after Bruce shifted. I felt so safe with you from the very beginning. I think that's why when we were talking that night in your apartment and the opportunity presented itself, I wanted to take you to bed. I wanted to give you something from my heart for being so special to me since the moment we met."

Now Steve's eyes were noticeably damp and sparkling with happy tears. "I trusted you too, from the very start. I didn't know anything except what I'd heard rumored about this beautiful, seductive, capable spy. When we met, you had already exceeded any expectation I might have had. That night...when you were my first...was perfect because it was with you. You made it beautiful."

"It was my first time too, Steve. It was the first time I'd ever made love with someone instead of just having sex." Natasha looked at her hand with the rings he'd put on her mere minutes ago.

"Oh, Sweetheart," Steve smiled, gathered her closely and hugged her as tightly as he dared. "You made love with me before the serum and right after the serum, too. I have three first times with you that I can cherish in my memory and I hope that you feel the same way."

She nodded against his neck, "I do. I love you, Steve. Thank you for taking a chance on the jaded heart of a damaged, lying spy."

He sat her up on his lap, "Don't do that, Natasha. I am taking no chances here. I chose you and you chose me." He tipped her chin up with his hand, "You are the woman I love. Don't ever let me hear you degrade yourself again or I will really spank you, do you understand me?"

"But you don't know everything I've done..." She started to tell him.

"I know what I need to know, Nat. None of us are just our past. We have the here and now and our future. I love you for who you are. All of you. That won't ever change." He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her tenderly.

Natasha returned the kiss and relaxed in his arms. Since she'd met him, he had done all he could to be honest, consistent and trustworthy. Not just to her, but to all of them; their little make-shift family. He tried every day to be a man of his word, someone they could all depend on. It wasn't about ego for him. It was about being what he'd always been: a good man. She was so lucky. She was trying to believe him, that she deserved him and deserved happiness. She'd work on it harder. He deserved her best.

They decided they wanted to spend their honeymoon with their family. Peggy and Bucky were delighted, as were the rest of the Avengers. Since their jobs basically involved constant travel, it was a nice change to look forward to cook outs and dinners together; lazy afternoons curled on the couch reading or spontaneous love making sessions that lasted into the wee hours of the night. Nick Fury wasn't particularly thrilled but he let it slide since literally all six of the Avengers were standing firm on this.

Pepper suggested fully redecorating the mansion so that the two couples could have their own personal stamp on it. She arranged for designers to come and make a pitch until they all settled on an elegant French provincial look with a lighter color palette and lighter toned wood. "It's home." Steve said, with his arm around Nat as they surveyed the new look.

"It definitely is home," Nat agreed.

One evening when Peggy and Bucky were out leaving Steve and Natasha alone, Nat came slinking down the stairs to surprise Steve in the kitchen in a short white nightgown that was mostly scraps of see through material and lace with strategically placed crystals. She'd totally forgotten that the curtains in the living room's enormous plate glass window hadn't been installed yet.

The house was far enough back from the street and there were a lot of trees surrounding the property so she thought she'd risk it. She scuttled across the expanse of room, through the dining room and into the kitchen where she hopped up on the granite counter and leaned back on one elbow, swinging one foot while the other was bent and supporting her other hand; watching him preparing their dinner.

"You've still got a great ass, Rogers." She smirked as he spun around at the sound of her voice.

"Nat!" Steve's eyes opened wide as he surveyed her attire.

"Like what you see, soldier?" She purred.

"What the hell are you almost wearing?" Steve dropped the knife and dried his hands on a towel before coming over to kiss his very seductive bride.

Natasha slipped her hand around his head pulling his mouth tighter to hers as he swung her around and wrapped her legs around his waist. Suddenly, he pulled back and looked her over.

"Natasha...did you wear a robe down here?" He was frowning a little.

"No, I wanted you to be surprised."

She wriggled and tried to kiss him but he looked at her sternly. "You walked in front of the big window wearing that?"

"I didn't exactly walk...I sort of sashayed." Nat's eyes sparkled with fun.

"Jesus, Nat. Are you putting on a show for anyone with a pair of binoculars?"

"Oh and someone might sneak a look?" She made the mistake of looking smug.

Steve studied her for a moment, a wicked quirk at the corner of his mouth, "Doll, you are lucky I've evolved a little from the 1940's because my first instinct is to turn you over my knee for being an instigating little exhibitionist but I'm restraining myself."

"Yeah that wouldn't give anybody watching a show at all. C'mon Steve, don't tease me. You wanna spank me on the porch so they have a better view?" She grinned at him, daring him to do it.

He tossed her over his shoulder and started for the stairs. He smacked her butt while she giggled and bounced on his shoulder. As soon as he got her up to their room, he pulled her off his shoulder, sat on the bed and unceremoniously bent her over his knee.

"You are a glorious pain in the ass, Nat." He spanked her halfheartedly a half dozen times while she laughed and kicked.

"Harder, I can take it." Natasha chortled, thoroughly enjoying herself.

"I'll give you harder." Steve growled at her, lifting her up and tossing her onto the bed, then following her down. He felt like he had an iron rod in his jeans. If he didn't get inside her soon, he was going to embarrass himself.

When he discovered that she was wearing exactly nothing under the nighty he rolled her over, swatted her again then pulled her around so she was halfway under him and kissed her. "You're going to give me a heart attack, Natasha."

She rolled her eyes at him and nipped at his full lower lip. "Not a chance, Tiger. You're stuck with me."

"Thank god," Steve whispered as he unbuckled his belt, unbuttoned his jeans and lowered his zipper.

Natasha reached down to free him from his boxers, shoving his jeans down over his ass as he scooted up over her. One arm was around her, the other hand he skated down her side and around between her thighs to test her readiness. He found her already slick with want.

"God, Nat...I love that you are always ready for me." he eased into her slowly giving her time to adjust to his size.

As soon as he was deeply seated she flexed her hips and wrapped her legs around him, urging him to move. Steve took her mouth in a searing kiss as he started a slow, tantalizing rhythm that had her panting and moaning in no time. She savored every thrust as he teased her higher and higher.

"Steve!" She caught her breath as he increased the pace and she arched into his every stroke.

"Tell me, honey...tell me what you need," Steve's voice was thick with passion.

"Harder...I won't break," she panted against his mouth.

Steve obliged her, his own control stretching to the breaking point when she moved his hand down to touch her. "Touch me, please."

He stroked her as he curled over her, pulling her against him as he took shorter, harder thrusts. "I'm here, Nat...let go for me Sweetheart...let it come. I'm right here to catch you."

The climax he'd been building hit her hard and she bucked frantically under him, straining against his hand and into every thrust. "Yes, yes…!" she was nearly sobbing as he took her over the edge.

When she broke, the sweet sucking caress of her orgasm pulled him in. Steve arched into her, riding her climax, releasing inside her in a heavy flood. He shuddered, nearly collapsing on top of her. He swore every time he came with her it was better than the last.

He didn't move for a bit. He knew she liked to feel his weight and to feel him inside her for as long as possible. Kissing her tenderly until her eyes came back in focus, he stroked his knuckles over her cheek.

"That never gets old," She panted when she could form a complete sentence. She stroked his hair pushing back the stubborn lock that always fell across his forehead.

"Best I've ever had," Steve teased her.

"Definitely the best I've ever had," Natasha kissed him softly.

"Really?" Steve looked surprised.

"Oh god, Steve. You're absolutely lethal. I told you that your instincts were good, your prowess and stamina are amazing and you are a very, very giving lover. Seriously, no one I've ever been with made me feel the way you do." There was no trace of humor in her words.

He blushed and smiled that adorable shy smile he had. "Maybe it's because I love you and we are making love, not just having sex."

"Rogers, I'd have jumped your ass on the helicarrier for certain if I knew it could be like this." Natasha smiled at him.

"That would have given me an anxiety attack," Steve laughed. "Not to mention if Coulson had caught us." He disengaged from her and tucked everything away, rearranging her nighty to a more modest version of lust filled fantasy but stayed close as she was still curled against his chest.

Natasha laughed at that as well. Poor Phil would have probably fainted dead away if he'd caught her riding his personal hero's cock in the lower decks of the helicarrier.

Thinking of Phil Coulson made her tear up. Steve quickly gathered her in his arms and held her as she rode out yet another emotional storm. Afterward, they got up, she changed into shorts and her Captain America shield t-shirt. Together they went down to finish preparing dinner. Steve was teaching her to cook, slowly but surely. She was enjoying the lessons as well as spending time with him.

He kept an eye on her as they worked together. Sometimes she had one emotional outburst, sometimes they piggy backed each other throughout the day. He hoped that Bruce, his fiancee' Betty Ross and Dr. Erskine could figure out what was going on with Natasha soon. With her being a victim of the Red Room training program he knew it was agonizing to have emotions wrung out of her like that.

The longer they were together, the more her real emotions became naturally evident. He could tell instantly if there was something legitimately making her happy or sad as opposed to it being one of the emotional storms she'd been dealing with since coming back to this time. She was trying very hard to overcome all the negative training she'd received; learning to be who she really was all the time, not just with Steve.

Having real friends like the team including Peggy, Bucky and Pepper, was helping her a lot. Maria Hill was also becoming a good friend. Clint and his family had been her friends for a long time but branching out a little was definitely good for her. Her biggest supporter and anchor was always Steve. He was always honest with her even if sometimes she wasn't in a listening mood. He was stubborn and patient in equal measures plus he loved her. It was the perfect combination to make her want to respond favorably when he called her on her bullshit occasionally.

It was a scary world dismantling her ingrained defense mechanisms but it was a lot less scary when Steve was by her side.


	26. Amateur Hour

Nat was home with Peggy while Steve and Bucky were off on a training exercise when she got a frantic phone call from Pepper. She listened to her friend with a sympathetic ear as well as a professional one.

Evidently, Tony had decided to run a quick unauthorized mission on his own and something had gone terribly wrong. Pepper said she had no idea he was going off on his own until she got a notification from JARVIS.

"Pepper, I know you're upset but slow down and tell me exactly what JARVIS said," Natasha was already texting Steve on a burner phone that they kept for emergencies; he was the Team leader after all, not just her husband. She signaled Peggy to try and reach Bucky as well while she listened to Pepper.

"Tony heard about a weapons shipment coming in through Brooklyn Harbor," Pepper was a bit more clipped in her speech when she was upset with Tony.

"He was suited up though, right?" Nat asked.

"He was but from what I understand, he had a malfunction and kind of crash landed into the middle of the ware house where they're storing everything." Pepper sounded exasperated.

"Okay, I'm still trying to get hold of Steve, I'll call you back in a minute," Nat told her.

"Nothing," Peggy said. She'd texted Bucky several times and received no response.

"Me either. They're probably on radio silence for the training," Nat said. "Well shit. We're going to have to do something, Tony could be in real trouble, the idiot. Bruce is out, we don't want him Hulking out and demolishing the warehouse while Tony is still inside. Clint's back at the farm; Thor's still here, isn't he?"

"I think so," Peggy said, "I'll call him and see if he can come help us."

"Great, I'll go change and be right with you."

Nat struggled into her catsuit. She'd noticed that she'd gained a little weight since being back. Time to hit the gym again and stay in fighting form. Quickly, she strapped on her Widows Bites and utility belt along with the gauntlets that Tony had given her with two small missiles attached.

"Thor's on his way," Peggy hollered.

"Great!" Nat acknowledged, running back downstairs and grabbing her car keys. Peggy soon joined her wearing a nearly identical catsuit, courtesy of Stark Industries, and Thor arrived to find them waiting by Nat's car.

Nat drove like a bat out of hell to the dock area. She and Thor made Peggy stay in the car. Peggy had mission and combat experience but it was from WWII and Nat didn't want to get her killed since it could be any number of things in this era that Peggy would not be familiar with. Peggy grumbled about it but in the end, agreed to it after Thor threatened to send her to Asgard for safekeeping.

After a brief discussion, Nat and Thor came to an agreement on how to handle things. Thor took to the skies and Nat took to the rooftops, both cautiously approaching the building with Tony's GPS pinging in it. There were a hell of a lot more guards than either of them had figured. Thor landed on the roof next to Nat and crouched down as far as an almost seven foot tall demi-god could crouch.

"Lady Natasha, I can easily take all of those guards with one bolt of lightening but I fear for Stark's safety inside."

"Agreed," Nat said, "Let me get closer and see if I can pinpoint Tony and see how many are with him. We may be able to strike at the same time and get him out before anyone knows what happened."

She took a running leap into Thor's clasped hands and he tossed her across the void between the buildings. It was not as stable as Steve's shield but it got the job done. She landed and rolled, coming up with both guns in her hands. Making it across the roof proved less than problematic as there were no guards posted. ' _Amateurs_ ', she figured.

Picking the lock on the rooftop door took her seconds and she disappeared into the building as Thor watched. Nat crept down the stairs, silent as a shadow and less visible. When she got close enough she could see the majority of the activity as toward the back of the warehouse towards the docks. Crates of glowing weapons were being loaded onto fork lifts. Hydra weapons? Chitauri? What the hell?

She scanned the floor beneath her and found Tony in an unenclosed cubicle, out of his Iron Man suit, with two guards around him. As far as she could see there were no other safeguards, no cameras, no alarms anywhere near where Tony was. Shit. This was way too easy. Now her self-preservation instincts clicked on. Something was very wrong. They were holding an Avenger, Tony Stark no less, who was worth literally billions of dollars with nothing but two half-assed guards.

Tony had to be more than a hostage; he was bait for something they wanted and they were counting on an Avenger response. The guards near him weren't holding their weapons like professional mercenaries would. Nat was betting they didn't know how to unlock the safety on their guns or how to reload for that matter.

Softly, she crept back up the stairs to the roof and motioned Thor over. He landed lightly next to her.

"There's something wrong with this," Nat explained to him and told him her reasoning.

Thor listened intently, "Your assessment seems to be very accurate, Lady Natasha. If Stark does not appear to be in any immediate danger and we have not received a ransom demand, perhaps we should maintain position and hopefully Captain Rogers will return shortly."

"Agreed." Nat said as she texted Peggy with instructions to take the car and go back to the mansion; then Pepper to let her know they were in a holding pattern for the moment. She and Thor took up more strategic positions on the roof to wait. She kept her phone on in case Steve or S.H.I.E.L.D. called with a possible ransom demand.

After about an hour, her phone buzzed: it was Steve. "Nat? Are you okay, sweetheart? What's going on?"

"Pepper called and said Tony went off the rails to try and stop a weapons shipment he heard about. Thor and I have scoped out the place and it's weird, Steve, they've only got two obviously incompetent guards on Tony but there are a hell of a lot of either Hydra or Chitauri weapons in there and way too many guards for this operation. We're holding position until you get here."

"Did you notify S.H.I.E.L.D.?

"No. If Tony is hotdogging again, I didn't want Fury on our collective asses if this went South. We didn't tell Bruce either. Hulk in this area would be a bad idea. Clint is with his family, so he's not available. If Bucky's with you, you might bring him as well. Tell him that I sent Peggy home. She can handle herself in a fight but she's never seen the kind of shit these weapons can do."

"Good thinking. I'm on my way, Sweetheart. I'll call Pepper and let her know." Steve signed off.

She texted him the coordinates of the building they were on and sat back to wait. Thor looked at her concernedly, "Lady Natasha? Are you unwell? You appear very pale."

Come to think of it, she was feeling a little clammy. Suddenly her stomach lurched and she ran to the side of the building to barf.

Thor sweetly held her hair for her, his strong arm encircling her waist so she didn't topple over the side.

"Oh, god, Thor, I don't know what the hell is wrong with me."

"Did Dr. Banner say that you were cleared to fight?"

"No, but he didn't say I wasn't either. He's still trying to figure out what's going on with me."

Thor shifted her in his arms, settling her on his lap as they waited for Steve. He gently stroked her hair back until she relaxed against his chest. "Better?"

"Yes, thank you." Nat said and tried to sit up.

"Stay put, at least until Captain Rogers arrives." Thor told her.

Nat felt just crappy enough not to argue. Steve and Bucky arrived shortly thereafter; climbing up the side of the building Nat and Thor had originally started on then leaping across the space to where they now were. Steve took one look at Natasha sitting in Thor's lap, pale and sweating and asked Thor to take her home. Nat refused until she showed him everything they'd discovered.

"Steve, I'm fine. I just barfed, that's all." Nat hated it when he got overly concerned with her well being. She'd weathered worse than this before she ever knew him and pointed that out.

"The difference now is, you have a husband who cares about you and a Captain who is not going to risk you getting hurt or getting someone else hurt because you're sick." Steve informed her.

"Tony's risking getting himself and everyone else killed," Nat groused to him, with a sulky look.

"I'm going to deal with Tony after we get through with this mess, I assure you. I've already discussed it with Pepper." Steve said. "Right now, I've got the ATF and FBI moving in to surround the building. This really isn't something that calls for an Avenger intervention. I'd like to keep us out of it if at all possible."

"So, why bother sending me home then if you're not having us engage?" Nat asked him.

"Because you look like you feel terrible, sweetheart. I don't want you stuck up here when you could be home lying down. Peggy can look after you for awhile until I get there. Will you please just do as I ask and let Thor take you home?" Steve asked her with a gentle kiss.

"Honestly I'm feeling a lot better," Nat struggled off of Thor's lap and stood up to demonstrate. She promptly went pale and pitched forward. Steve caught her and scooped her up in his arms.

"All right, that's enough. Thor, take her home please. I'll be there as soon as I can." Steve handed Nat over to Thor who cradled her in one arm, spun Mjolinir and took to the skies.

"She's a stubborn little thing," Bucky chuckled.

"You've got that right," Steve agreed, watching the progress of the ATF and FBI agents as they efficiently surrounded the building and began arresting everyone.

"She kind of reminds me of you." Bucky snorted.

"Oh come on, Buck, I was never that bad." Steve smiled at his friend.

"You were ten times worse." Bucky laughed, and dodged the punch Steve aimed at his arm.

"I was not." Steve grumbled, watching the progress on the street below. Soon, he saw Tony being led out and put in the back of an FBI SUV. He looked a little shaken but no worse for wear.

"You were too; is that Stark down there?" Bucky asked.

"Yup. We're going back to the Avengers Tower and wait for Pepper to bring him home. He and I need to have a talk," Steve said grimly.

Bucky's eyebrows shot up at Steve's tone. "Do I want to know what you're going to discuss?"

"Probably not," Steve said. "I promised Howard that I'd be godfather to any children he had and look after them if he wasn't around. Howard didn't do such a great job of looking after Tony from what I can see and from what Pepper's told me."

"What's your plan then?" Bucky asked.

"I'm going to sit him down for a conversation he isn't going to enjoy then take him in hand if necessary." Steve said, walking toward the rooftop stairwell.

He and Bucky hurried down the stairs, checking in with the head ATF and FBI agents on site. They were very grateful that Steve had notified them. The arrests had been clean and without incident. The Avengers name would not be added to the report at Steve's request. He wanted to work with other agencies, not overshadow them. The FBI even offered to drive him and Bucky back to the Avengers Tower; they readily accepted.

Back at the Tower, Steve removed his helmet, handing it and his shield to Bucky. "Wait here. I'll be down in a few minutes and Happy, Tony's chauffeur will take us home."

Bucky waited in the spacious lobby, admiring the artwork, fountains and view. It was really beautiful architecture, he noticed. Every day he was still amazed at the differences in the City that he had known versus the city that he now lived in.

Pepper came out of one of the elevators and walked over to him. "Hey, Bucky," she said.

"Hi, Pepper. Everything okay?"

"I hope it will be. Steve's having a word with Tony about today."

"That doesn't sound good," Bucky said.

"I'm hoping he'll listen to Steve and stop this lone vigilante behavior. He could have gotten himself killed, again!" Pepper was furious and flustered.

"If anyone can get him to listen, it's Steve," Bucky told her.

"I want to know what's going on but Steve asked me to give them some privacy."

Bucky's eyes widened, "Um...Steve may not just be giving him a lecture, Pepper."

"Oh, my god," Pepper clapped her hand over her mouth. "Seriously? Steve might actually..."

"Spank him? Oh yeah." Bucky grinned. "We grew up in a time when that was perfectly acceptable. Steve got the least amount of ass warmings of any other kid we knew but we've all been there, including me."

"Howard and Marie never disciplined him. I know that for a fact," Pepper said. "Jarvis, his family's butler did to an extent but I don't think anyone's ever gotten away with telling Tony, 'No'."

"No one until now," Steve came up to the two of them, having caught the last bit of what Pepper was saying.

"Steve! Is everything all right? Is Tony all right?" Pepper was wide eyed.

"Tony will be fine," Steve assured her. "I don't think he'd going to pull that kind of stunt again."

"What happened?" Pepper asked.

"Let's just say that Tony now knows his...'godfather' and his Captain are serious about his safety and the safety of this team." Steve smiled at her then shifted topics. "Do you mind if Happy drives Bucky and I home? Nat wasn't feeling well earlier and I really need to get back to her."

"Sure, Steve, that's fine. I guess I'll go back up then."

"I'd give him a few minutes, Pepper. Just let him settle a bit." Steve said, giving her a quick hug.

"Thank you, Steve." Pepper gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"No problem. That's what I'm here for." Steve took his shield and helmet back from Bucky and the two of them went out to the waiting limo with Happy at the wheel.

Bucky waited until they got back to the mansion, after Happy had driven off. "What happened with Tony?"

Steve gave him a hard look, "What do you think happened?"

"I think you gave him a patented Captain America ass warming," Bucky grinned.

"Let's just say he can't claim Natasha is my only favorite anymore." Steve's mouth quirked up on one side.

"Well, he needed it," Bucky opened the door to their shared home.

"I think he'll give serious thought to doing anything solo again; at least for awhile." Steve followed him into the house.

Natasha was on the couch with Peggy, watching a news report of the arrest and confiscation of illegal weapons. Her color was better, Steve noticed as he knelt down and kissed her forehead.

"Feeling better?"

"Yeah, I am. What did the FBI and ATF determine about that whole set up?" Nat looked up at Steve.

"It was a couple of low level Hydra goons who thought they could draw the Avengers into a conflict. They wanted us to barge in there, guns figuratively blazing to rescue Tony, then point out that the Avengers used superior firepower and skills against untrained henchmen. Sort of a bad publicity stunt." Steve told her.

"They're trying to discredit us?"

"Basically, yes. There's been some fall out after New York; that we could have done more to protect against property damage and loss of life." Steve sighed.

"What the hell? No one would be alive in that part of the city at least if we hadn't been there." Natasha was outraged.

"I know, love, but you know how these things can swing. One minute we're heroes, the next we shouldn't have been there. It's the same story with any group that tries to do right by the public. Look at how a few bad police officers have caused public distrust about law enforcement in general." Steve settled on the floor in front of her.

Bucky and Peggy were cuddling on the other end of the couch. "You're right about that, Steve. I wonder what would have happened if you all just stepped back and said, 'No, you all handle this.'"

"There would be a public outcry that the Avengers were cowards and not worth the support they've been given." Steve said.

"Can't win for losing, it seems," Peggy said.

"How's Tony?" Nat asked.

"Discovering how to think things through while standing, I imagine." Steve said dryly.

"Shit, Steve, did you really spank him?" Natasha asked him with wide eyes.

"That paddle Pepper has is very effective. I may have to borrow it next time you're being stubborn."

Steve ducked when she reached out to whack him in the head, then pulled her down into his lap and kissed her. "I'm glad you're feeling better, however. Did you call Bruce?"

"No, but I will tomorrow. I'm really tired of spontaneous barfing and those stupid emotional outbursts." Nat grumbled.

"I just want you to feel better." Steve said, nuzzling her hair. "Of course when we find out how to fix this, you may not need me so much."

"There will never be a time that I don't need you," Nat assured him, hugging him tightly. His arms tightened around her, enjoying just having her in his embrace.

"How about if Steve and I get cleaned up then we get some Chinese take out and watch a movie together?" Bucky asked.

Peggy and Nat readily agreed. It was a rare evening when all of them could just relax and enjoy each other's company.


	27. Enhancement Matters

There was a distant, incessant ringing that brought Nat and Steve out of a very sound sleep. Steve reached over and grabbed the phone.

"Rogers." His voice was thick with sleep.

Suddenly he sat upright, "We'll be right there. Thanks, Bruce."

Nat heard Bruce's name and sat up, wiping the sleep out of her eyes. "Bruce? What's he want?"

"He wants us to come down right away, says he, Erskine and Betty have figured out what's wrong with you." Steve gathered Nat in his arms and walked into their bathroom.

Natasha looked on the verge of panic, "Steve, if your doctor wants to tell you something in person, it usually isn't good news."

"Not necessarily," Steve said, "Bruce didn't sound panicked or upset, just that he wanted us both to come down. Come on, get showered while I shave then we'll switch." He shooed her into the mammoth shower stall in their suite.

Half an hour later and they were out the front door, getting into Nat's car. Steve was driving in case Nat had another nausea situation occurring while in a motorized vehicle. That had happened yesterday. She'd had to pull over on the interstate and nearly got flattened by a semi as she darted around the car to puke at the side of the road.

Steve informed her she was going nowhere without him and that she damn well wasn't driving anymore unless he was with her. She bitched about it but Steve gave her the Eyebrow of Disappointment treatment and she acquiesced.

They got to the Tower in record time; Steve parked in front and ran around the car to help Nat out. It was just one of those every day occurrences in the life of a gentleman. She'd quit complaining about him opening doors for her, pulling out her chair and standing when she came into a room. It made him so happy to do little things for her so she let him have his victories. Besides, it made her feel even more cherished than she had a right to be.

She kept a firm hold on Steve's hand as they rode the elevator up to the lab. He could sense her nervousness. He was none too steady himself, silently praying that there was nothing seriously wrong with her; particularly since what she'd done by going back in time had been solely for his benefit.

Bruce greeted them with an uncharacteristic grin on his face. Betty and Dr. Erskine came out, smiling and they all sat around the conference table.

"Betty is the one who actually broke this case wide open," Bruce grinned at his former fiancee', squeezing her hand.

Betty blushed a little then looked at Steve and Natasha, "Captain Rogers, when you first when through the conversion process, do you remember when they took all those samples from you?"

"I remember," Steve said, "What has that…?"

"I'm getting to that," Betty said, holding up a hand to stop him. "They took blood, semen, saliva, everything."

Steve blushed at the mention of his semen. How they got that sample wasn't something he wanted to discuss with anyone. He was still embarrassed. Natasha squeezed his hand and smiled at him. As adventuresome as he'd become with her in bed, Steve still had some very delicate sensibilities about certain things. That including talking about bodily functions and apparently biological samples.

"Well, I got to thinking about Natasha's time travel and your relationship so I decided to test your samples." Betty looked positively smug.

"The samples from right after he was given the serum and had the conversion?" Nat asked.

"Yes," Betty nodded. "I have to ask you a rather delicate question, I'm afraid."

"Ask," Nat said, "I'll tell you anything you need to know."

"Did you and Captain Rogers engage in intimate relations very soon after his conversion?"

Steve blushed harder and coughed. Nat ignored him and nodded to Betty, "Yes, it was that same night."

Bruce, Dr. Erskine and Betty all breathed a collective sigh of relief. "All of Steve's samples tested extremely high for the serum. It was highly concentrated as it kept converting his cells, his DNA, everything. This concentration may have leveled out by this time but right after the conversion, at least in the first week or so afterward, the concentration of the serum was excessively high."

"Meaning?" Steve was getting lost in the scientific speculations.

"Meaning that even if the serum left your body in one form or another, through saliva, blood, or ejaculate, it was extremely potent and could affect the recipient of those fluids." Betty blushed a little herself. Steve looked like he wanted to crawl under the table.

"Wait, so when we had sex that first night and during that first week, he was sort of injecting me with the serum when we kissed and made love?" Natasha thought she was following the thought process rather well.

"Essentially, that is correct." Betty agreed.

"I am not following this very well," Steve said, trying not to die from embarrassment and focus. Natasha patted his arm.

"What happened was, and pardon me, Steve, we are really not trying to embarrass you. When you two had sex, which I assume was unprotected because Natasha assumed correctly that she couldn't get pregnant, your...um...contribution managed to heal and repair the damage done to Natasha by her Red Room handlers." Bruce was struggling to say it politely. "The serum combined with your semen, and well..."

Steve and Natasha stared at Bruce and Betty blankly. Dr. Erskine had an ear to ear grin on his face and was fairly vibrating with joy.

"My dear girl, you are pregnant! Captain Rogers, you are going to be a father!" Dr. Erskine came around the table and hugged both of them.

"What?!" Natasha was certain she hadn't heard him correctly.

"Pregnant? She's pregnant?!" Steve was apparently on board the Good Ship What The Fuck as well. He shook his head as if to clear it.

"Pregnant! Bruce and Betty chorused.

"The spontaneous nausea, your tiredness, your emotional outbursts, it's all from pregnancy hormones." Betty was absolutely beaming at Natasha. "There is nothing medically wrong with you; you're just pregnant!"

Natasha looked down at her abdomen and gently stroked a hand over it, "Pregnant? I'm pregnant?" She turned wide green eyes up to Steve. "A baby? We're going to have a baby?"

Steve put his hand over hers on her stomach, his eyes met hers in a suffusion of shock, delight, amazement and pure love, "A baby, Sweetheart! We're having a baby!"

Nat took about two seconds to burst into happy tears and fling her arms around Steve's neck. He lifted her into his lap and they cried together in solidarity and joy. Bruce, Dr. Erskine and Betty let them have their moment. After a minute or two, they turned back to the medical team who had just given them the best news of their lives.

"A baby," Steve breathed, it sounded like a prayer.

"I never thought..." Nat whispered. "Steve, are you okay with this? We've never talked about it because I never thought it possible."

"Sweetheart, without even trying you make every day full of joy. Now, once again, you've managed to bring even more joy into both of our lives. Of course I'm happy about this," Steve was beaming at her.

"Thank god, I swear I would have told you if I'd known. I'm...I'm...astounded, happy, ecstatic...I'm also scared shitless. I never thought this was possible." Nat was crying again in earnest.

"We will do this together, like we do everything else, honey," Steve assured her.

"I don't know how to be a mother...I've never had one." Natasha managed to blurt out.

"You'll do this like you do everything else; perfectly," Steve kissed her and held her tighter.

"How far along?" Nat managed to collect her wits for a moment.

"You're just entering the second trimester as near as we can figure with the dates," Betty told her.

"So...we'll have a baby in..." Steve started to talk before he'd managed the math.

"In about six months, yes." Bruce said, smiling broader than either of them had ever seen.

"We'd like to do an ultra sound and check. We can take a look at the baby and even give you the gender if you want," Betty told them.

Both Steve and Natasha looked at each other; Natasha nodded enthusiastically to Betty. "Let's do it." Nat said.

"An ultra sound?" Steve wasn't certain he liked the sound of that.

"Steve, it's technology that you might not be familiar with but I assure you it's been around awhile and is perfectly safe." Bruce patted Steve on the back.

In short order, they had Nat on an exam table, her shirt pulled up and her jeans shoved down a bit to expose her stomach. Steve stood at her side, holding her hand, not sure what to expect. Betty took a bottle and squirted warmed gel onto Nat's abdomen.

"Watch the screen, Captain," she instructed him, taking the ultra sound wand in her hand and moving it across Nat's belly through the gel.

Very soon, an almost indistinguishable form appeared. Betty tilted the wand a bit, applied a little pressure and pushed a button. "There is your baby's face!"

Steve and Natasha looked at a black and white rendering that was a little blurry but was unmistakably a face. Steve was wholly impressed, shocked, and filled with joy. Natasha's hand was over her mouth, as she fought not to cry yet again.

"Wait...do you want to hear the heartbeat?" Betty asked.

"Yes!" Nat and Steve said together.

Betty turned up the volume and almost instantly they could hear the swish swish noise of the baby's heartbeat. Suddenly she frowned, "Bruce, can you come here a minute?"

"What's wrong?" Nat picked up that something was concerning.

"Nothing, Natasha, it sounds like an echo...but I'm not certain," Betty stepped back to let Bruce take a look. He maneuvered the wand further over and down on Nat's belly.

"It's not an echo," He said grinning. "It's a twin."

"TWINS?" Natasha thought she just might faint. Steve looked like he was well on his way to joining her so Bruce shoved a chair at him.

"Sit down, Steve; I don't need you getting a skull fracture if you fall down."

"Yup," Betty agreed with Bruce's assessment and watched as he got the second baby's face to appear on the screen. "Fraternal twins!"

"Do you guys want to know what you're having?" Bruce asked them.

Natasha and Steve exchanged a look, "I had no idea any of this was possible," Steve said in wonderment. "What do you think, honey? Do you want to know what we're having?"

"Okay," Nat said weakly. She was just getting used to the idea of being pregnant and now to find out she was going to be a mother to twins; she was a bit overwhelmed.

"Twin number one...is a...boy; twin number two...is a...girl. One of each. Congratulations!" Bruce was absolutely giddy.

Betty wiped the gel off Nat and helped her sit up. "I'm so happy for you two and so glad that we could give you joyous news instead of something frightening."

"Thank you so much, Betty. You too, Bruce and Dr. Erskine," Steve was a bit overwhelmed as well. He tucked Natasha under his arm and looked down at her with nothing but pure love in his eyes.

"At least we got married before we found this out. We'd never hear the end of it with Tony if it had been the other way round." Nat laughed.

"I've got a new bride and now we have a new family together." Steve's silky baritone vibrated through Nat. She reached around his waist and hugged him to her.

Betty handed Natasha a stack of pamphlets and books. "Right now you guys go celebrate the good news. As soon as you have time, if you want Bruce, Dr. Erskine and I to act as your doctors, we can go over everything you can expect during this pregnancy. These are just some informational items that you may want to look over."

"Can we have sex?" Natasha asked, causing Steve to blush down to his toes.

"Yes! You can have sex; up to and including the last month." Betty laughed. "Just don't get too enthusiastic as it gets closer to your delivery date. The prostaglandins in semen can trigger labor when your due date is close. If you go over your due date, we will probably encourage you to try that to trigger labor."

"You two kids go enjoy yourselves." Bruce kissed Nat on the cheek and shook Steve's hand.

"Can we not tell anyone else? Just for tonight." Steve asked suddenly. "I'd like it to be just between Nat and I for right now."

"Steve, we're doctors. You know? Confidentiality?" Bruce was laughing. This was a lot for Steve in particular to absorb.

"He means they can't tell anyone anything. We decide who and when we tell." Nat rubbed her hand on his back.

"Got it." Steve said. "I'm still...I'm so overjoyed and overwhelmed."

"Me too." Nat said quietly, a little less sure about this new prospect.

Steve scooped her up in his arms and spun them around. "We're having babies!" His delight was infectious and Nat let him carry her out and down to the car. She was relieved that her problem had been solved and terrified that she knew next to nothing about being a mother. As she watched his face while he carried her, she knew they'd be all right. Steve was her rock and in many ways she was his. They'd weather this like they'd done everything else. Together.

When they got into the car, Steve kissed her senseless. "Do you want Peggy and Bucky to know right away?"

"We kind of have to tell them. You're smiling like a madman and I'm still running between yelling for joy and sobbing on your shoulder because I'm scared to death." Nat said ruefully.

"Natasha, you are going to be the best mother anyone has every known. You know why?" Steve cupped her face in his hands.

"Why?"

"Because you already know how not to raise children. You will do everything in your power to make certain our children are loved, cherished and have a solid family they can rely on. I will too, sweetheart. These babies are going to be so loved." Steve kissed her again.

She looked into his blue, blue eyes. He was so good, so earnest, so honest. "I have it on good authority that you will be the best father the world has ever seen. These kids will know that having Steve Rogers as their daddy means they will be loved and protected their whole lives."

That made him tear up. "You know, the doctors...back before the serum...they told me I probably wouldn't live much past twenty-five. Now here I am, with a beautiful wife and about to be a father of two miracle children. I'm twenty-eight now. When the babies come, I'll be nearly twenty-nine. Instead of living on borrowed time, I'm planning my life. My life with you and our children. Thank you, Natasha. You've made everything in my life so much better; added so much beauty and passion to it. I love you so much."

She put her arms around him and hugged him to her. "Thank you, my love for believing in me...in us. I used to think I was happy just taking care of myself. Now, I can't imagine not having you, Bucky, Peggy...the rest of the gang to worry about and love. These babies are something I never expected to be allowed to have." She put her hands protectively over her abdomen again.

"I'm really scared that I won't be enough. Not for you, not for these babies. I want to, I want to know I'm needed; it just feels so strange, yet." Her voice was unsteady as she looked up at him.

"Natasha, you are always enough. More than enough. To have overcome the things you have suffered, you are the strongest person I know and I admire you so much for becoming the person you are." Steve kissed her forehead.

"We've both been through the wringer, I think. I admire you as well. You don't know how much. You woke up into a strange new world with everything ripped away from you. I never told you but that night we first made love in your apartment, I realized I hadn't been a very good friend to you. I wanted to make up to you all the times I didn't notice when you were lonely, when you were floundering. I should have been a better friend back then, Steve. I hope I'm making up for it now."

He looked at her for a long time. "Nat, you didn't owe me anything. I was grateful that you were there at all. I told you how much I wanted you; to get to know you; how attracted I was to you. You took a shy, insecure grown man and turned me into someone who could love and make love with the most beautiful woman in the world. I can stand confidently by your side, saying, 'she's mine and I'm hers.' I can't tell you how much that means to me. I'm a better man because of you."

"I love you so much," Natasha's hormones were hiccuping again as she started to cry.

"Me too, doll; me too." Steve chuckled and kissed her nose. "Let's go home and tell Bucky and Peggy the good news."

Nat nodded and blew her nose. "I want to tell them, too."

When they got to the house, Bucky and Peggy came barreling down the stairs when Steve shouted for them.

"What on earth is wrong?" Bucky was looking slightly freaked out. Steve rarely ever raised his voice for any reason.

"Darling, are you all right?" Peggy went to Natasha and put her arms around her friend.

Steve and Nat held hands, grinning to beat hell and Steve told them. "Natasha is pregnant!"

"Oh my god! Steve, that's wonderful! Natasha! C'mere, baby doll!" Bucky picked Nat up and swung her around, then handed her off to Peggy while he hugged Steve.

"How wonderful!" Peggy was absolutely jubilant. "I thought you said you couldn't have children though or did I misunderstand?"

"No, you understood me. Steve's magical penis healed me from the inside out and now we're having twins!" Natasha allowed herself a moment of unbridled glee.

Steve swatted her on the butt, blushing furiously, "Natasha!"

Peggy and Bucky nearly died at that announcement. Steve looked like he wanted to crawl under the floor boards or kill Nat for mentioning his anatomy's obvious involvement in her pregnancy.

Nat was giggling like mad and dodged another swat Steve aimed at her. "I'm carrying your children, you know."

"You won't be pregnant forever, sweetheart and I've got a long memory." Steve teased her.

"And really aggressive sperm." Nat quipped just to watch him blush even more.

"Natasha..." Steve went positively scarlet and took a step toward her. She scooted behind Bucky who was nearly doubled over laughing.

"Pregnant or not, doll, spanking can happen." Steve reached around Bucky and grabbed her before she could dart past him.

Nat squeaked as he tossed her gently over his shoulder and smacked her bottom lightly. "Easy there, Tiger. Betty said we can still have sex. Don't damage the playground!"

"I'm gonna take the little lady upstairs and teach her some manners then what do you all say to going to dinner to celebrate?" Steve asked Peg and Bucky while Natasha giggled over his shoulder.

"Sounds great!" Bucky agreed after a quick glance at Peggy.

"Who else knows about this?" Peggy asked.

"No one," Steve said, climbing the stairs. "We wanted it to be just family for tonight." His words warmed Bucky and Peggy in ways they could never express. That Steve and Nat had told them first meant everything to both of them.

When they got upstairs, Steve gently took Nat off his shoulder, lay her on their bed and stretched out next to her. Both of them put their hands over Natasha's abdomen. Their eyes locked in perfect understanding. These babies were a miracle. Their miracle. Steve leaned down and kissed her.

"You're even more beautiful now, Nat. Just knowing that you're carrying our children brings a whole new dimension to your beauty."

"I can't wait to see them. I want to watch them grow with you, Steve." She admitted.

"I'm not going anywhere. We'll watch them grow together." Steve held her close. They stayed that way for a while, just marveling in the wonderful news they'd gotten and how lucky they were to be together in this.


	28. Halloween S'mores

The following day, Steve and Natasha decided it wouldn't be fair not to include all their friends on the announcement. Nat texted Clint; Steve double checked that Thor was still in town; Nat called Pepper. They arranged for everyone to come to the mansion that night for a meal together. Bruce, Dr. Erskine and Betty were also invited just to round out the gang even though they were in on the original surprise.

Natasha and Peggy were experimenting with some recipes while Steve and Bucky supervised. Nat had looked up some of her favorite Russian dishes on the internet and Peggy grabbed a few quintessential British ingredients from the International Market.

The center island in the kitchen was covered with borscht, beet salad, golubshi, bangers and mash, fish and chips and mushy peas. Nat and Peggy high five'd; Steve and Bucky hugged them. Nat even got an extra kiss after Steve willingly tasted all her cooking and pronounced it delicious.

Once the doorbell started ringing, it was a fair amount of time between greetings and drinks before they sat down to dinner at the large dining room table. Steve waited until it was a little quieter when everyone was digging in and munching away.

"Natasha and I have an announcement to make," Steve took her hand in his, "Bruce, Dr. Erskine and Betty worked very hard to determine what was the cause of Nat's illness. We now have an answer and wanted to inform everyone at the same time." Steve waited until all eyes were on them.

"Natasha...is pregnant with twins!"

You could hear a pin drop at the table for a split second then the cheering and congratulations started.

"My god, Little Red and Captain Spangles!" Tony was beside himself with the thought of Little Avengers running around. Pepper told Nat and Steve that she'd take them out shopping for anything and everything the babies would need.

"My little sister is with child!" Thor picked up both Steve and Natasha and spun them around. He set them both down with a kiss, "Well done, Captain; well done."

Clint and Laura were overjoyed of course. Laura offered to throw Nat a shower when it was time. Clint just kept grinning and shaking his head. "I'm so happy for you, Nat, I can't tell you."

Steve and Natasha felt less overwhelmed after dinner with their family of choice. With so many friends offering support, encouragement and help, they knew they could face the challenge of being parents of twins. Mostly they both knew that their counterpart was their own personal rock and that they could weather anything together.

Steve started making noises about leaving Natasha out of missions until she put her foot down. "I'm pregnant, not an invalid, Steve. I won't take unnecessary risks or do anything stupid."

"Sweetheart, you know that sometimes we can't make those decisions in the field. Things can go sideways in an instant. I don't want to risk you or our babies."

"Steve, I can't sit around in bubble wrap for the next six months, I'm sorry. I'm part of this team and I'm going to be as involved as my doctors say I can be." Natasha threw the ball back to Bruce, Betty and Abraham, as he insisted they all call him.

"Natasha is ridiculously healthy and in better shape than most pregnant women, Steve." Bruce told him.

"There's no reason she can't continue to work," Betty backed him up.

"In my day we treated women like the finest crystal when they were with child. You can still do that of course but I've been doing a lot of reading here and I can assure you, Steven, that your lovely bride is capable of anything she chooses to do." Abraham patted Steve's shoulder.

"See?" Natasha gloated, "Perfectly safe."

Steve looked at all of them dubiously, "All right. I'll let her decide what she can and can't do." Natasha cheered sarcastically and rolled her eyes at him.

He fixed her with a stern look, "Two things, however; The slightest twinge, the smallest discomfort, you tell me immediately, understand?" Natasha nodded. "Second, the first time one of our children rolls their eyes at me, I'm going to spank you, not them." She giggled and he hugged her tightly.

"Promise me you'll be extra careful when we're out there," Steve whispered to her.

"I promise."

"I'm going to hold you to that, love." Steve said.

Second trimester happy hormones hit and Natasha was back to her old snarky self. No more sudden tears, no more morose moments. She had boundless energy, sexual and otherwise; keeping Steve on his toes.

Peggy and Bucky decided to make it official as well and a new wedding was held at the mansion. The only mystery remaining was how and why Natasha's bullet scar had completely vanished. Since it didn't seem to have an effect on her health or her pregnancy, the issue was tabled for the time being.

Missions for the most part went very well. Steve's heart was still in his throat whenever Natasha flipped out of nowhere into a fight and subdued four or five enemies in the space of a few seconds. He held his tongue and kept his thoughts to himself, letting her be who she was; trusting her to take care.

Her pregnancy proceeded with little problems. Natasha was so grateful to be feeling normal again that her natural sense of fun and humor blossomed. Every day spent with Steve unraveled some of the damage the Red Room had inflicted on her. She'd never be what anyone could consider normal but for Steve, she was perfect. She was learning to accept herself and see herself through his eyes.

Around Halloween she and Peggy with Pepper's help, rigged up a tunnel of spooks in the vast backyard of the mansion. They also rigged up cameras to catch people during particularly surprising areas of the attraction. All the Avengers went through it and great fun was had seeing the shocked expressions on their faces as they made their way through the tunnel.

Nat managed to scare the holy hell out of Steve by rigging an elaborate harness from the roof of the mansion then doing a pretty fair impression of a banshee, wrapped in a shroud with horrible zombie face makeup on and shrieking to high heaven before leaping off the roof and swooping down among their friends. Steve nearly had a heart attack when she came down a little faster than she intended and smacked into him as he ran to catch her. They ended up in a heap under one of the giant oak trees with everyone laughing hysterically. Well, everyone but Steve who looked a tad bit annoyed.

"Are you all right?" He growled at her as he helped her up.

"I'm great! Did you see that, that was awesome!" Nat's eyes sparkled and her cheeks were flushed under the hideous makeup. She promptly tripped over the edges of the shroud and pitched forward. Steve caught her before she smashed her face on a tree root and swooped her up in his arms, unbuckling the rigging and pushing it off her.

"What I saw is a pregnant woman desperately needing a spanking, taking risks like that." Steve scolded her in a low voice as he set her back on her feet and tied the costume up higher so she wouldn't trip.

Natasha grinned at him as he situated her costume, "Promises, promises."

He tucked her under his shoulder and shot her a glare, "Pregnant or not, I am not above warming your bottom if you do that again, sweetheart."

"Oh baby, don't tease me." Natasha hip bumped him then shrieked with laughter as his large hand connected with her ass in a stinging swat.

"Ow!" She grinned up at him, rubbing her butt. "That actually stung!"

"It was meant to. That's for scaring ten years off my life." Steve sat down on one of the big logs they had for seating around the fire pit. The other Avengers came to join the couple and settled around the cheerily blazing fire. Steve pulled Natasha down next to him and kissed her.

She pulled back, a half smirk on her face, "I can go get that French Maid costume I wore the other night if you want something tamer..."

Steve raised an eyebrow at her tone and her topic, "Do you want me to relate to our children the time Mommy was naughty on Halloween and Daddy had to spank her?"

Tony perked up at that, "Hey Little Red, I'll even loan him my paddle."

Everyone laughed heartily as Natasha actually blushed and ducked her head. "All of you suck."

"Baby doll, you've needed looking after for a long time," Bucky pointed out, earning him a jab in the side from Peggy. "Now baby, don't be mean."

"You haven't seen mean yet, buster." Peggy scooted away from him.

He reached out and grabbed her, pulling her back and across his own lap. Peggy swore at him when he swatted her. "You need looking after too, Doll," Bucky's tone was amused.

"I swear I'm going to kill both of them, Natasha," Peggy squirmed over Bucky's knee. He sat her up and kissed her silly.

"I'll help you." Natasha glowered at Bucky and Steve.

Steve chuckled, picked her up and leaned her over his arm, swatting her lightly. She was too pregnant to take over his knee, "Both of you are asking for some 1940's discipline."

"Steven Grant Rogers, I swear to god," Natasha started but was hushed immediately as Steve sat her on his lap and kissed her thoroughly.

Pepper and Laura were dying laughing. "Enjoy it ladies, your men are two lovable fossils who adore you and adore keeping you in line."

Clint got a wicked look in his eye and yanked Laura over his lap. "I guess I'll have to step up my game then, right baby?"

Laura squealed with delight as Clint whacked her a few times then sat her up again. She was blushing and grinning like a fiend. "I think Steve and Bucky are wonderful influences on you."

Tony looked at Pepper with a gleam in his eye, "Don't even think about it, Tony." Pepper said. Tony pushed a button on his watch and was instantly covered in his Iron Man suit. He slung Pepper over his shoulder and smacked her pert bottom. "I think we'll take off now."

"Tony Stark! When we get back to the Tower I am going to kill you!" Pepper's angry voice held a lot of mirth in it as she banged on his back while they rose into the air then off into the night.

Thor grinned down at Jane who squirmed and blushed under his frank appraisal. "My lady likes this sort of play as well."

"Thor!" Jane was aghast that he would announce something like that to everyone.

"See what you started?" Natasha griped. "You're setting back feminism seventy years."

Steve arched an eyebrow at her. "Since when have I ever treated a woman with less than the respect I give a man?"

"Spanking? Really, Steve?"

"One word...'Tony'..." Steve let that comment hang.

"Oh well, I guess you are treating us equally." Nat hated being wrong and sulked. Steve cuddled her close and nuzzled her neck.

Peggy even perked up, "I forgot about that. He did spank Tony."

"It was an acceptable form of discipline in the army as well," Steve added.

"That is true," Bucky said, "Before you rescued me there were a few instances of behind closed doors disciplinary action amidst the 107th.

"You're all one step away from being cavemen, you know." Natasha quipped with a smirk.

"You love it," Steve pointed out, teasing her.

Natasha got a lost look on her face, "Before you...in the Red Room, discipline was torture. It wasn't something that happened because anyone cared about you. It was because you were a failure or a disappointment."

Bruce, Betty, Thor, Jane, Maria and Nick had been giggling along with them. Suddenly everyone was completely still after Natasha's announcement.

Steve's eyes widened and a look of abject horror crossed his face, "Jesus, sweetheart, I never thought about what you went through before. I will stop playing with you like that if it brings back old, hurtful memories." He hugged her tightly to him, whispering, "I'm so sorry, Nat. I didn't think."

She hugged him back fiercely, "No, Steve. Don't stop being who you are. I never feel threatened, afraid or hesitant around you. That's what I was pointing out. It's never occurred to me to be upset with you. I know you mean well, I know that most of the time you're just teasing me or playing. Even the one time you weren't, you were reacting out of fear and frustration not because you were trying to be a bully or mean to me."

"Still, Nat..." Steve's voice was a little unsteady.

"I'm not afraid of you or anything you might do to me. Does that clear it up?" Natasha looked him dead in the eye and kissed him. "I mean it; I would tell you if you upset me, okay?"

"I think she just gave you permission to spank her, Steve." Bucky had caught on and understood what Nat was getting at. He winked at Nat.

She nodded at Bucky then turned back to Steve. "That's exactly what I'm doing. No BDSM stuff, mind you. I'm not into that. You being from that particular time frame, a spanking isn't meant to be an insult or demeaning. I'm rather impressed that you've not been more chauvinistic than you actually could have been."

"What's BDSM?" Steve asked. Everyone groaned.

"You've been on the internet and don't know what that is?" Peggy asked.

Steve looked adorably confused. Bucky came over and whispered an explanation in Steve's ear. Steve looked even more horrified when Bucky sat back down.

"God, no, Nat, I wouldn't want anything like that with anyone." Steve told her, his baby blue eyes wide.

"I know you don't. It's fine. Please stop worrying about things you have no control over. What happened to me is in the past. You've actually brought a new situation into my life. Before I do anything now, I think about it because I don't want to cause you to worry over me and my safety. Not because I'm afraid you might put me over your knee."

Steve visibly relaxed. "Nat, I swear I will never give you reason to be afraid of me."

"Steve, seriously...just slow down and don't let my past determine our future." Natasha kissed him gently. "I trust you with my life; with our children's lives. I know anything you do or intend is only with the best of intentions. Now let's just have fun."

That seemed to make him happy. Steve knew he was hopelessly outdated on a lot of things even now. Natasha was his world and he would do everything in his power to make certain she was happy, smiling, and loved every single minute of every single day. To him, no one deserved a happy ever after than she did. Funny thing, to her, he was the one who deserved all the best that their life together could offer.

Natasha squirmed free of his embrace, "I'm going to get the stuff for s'mores."

Steve, Bucky and Peggy looked at her. "Whats a s'more'?" Peggy asked.

"It's delicious, is what it is," Natasha informed them before disappearing briefly into the house. When she returned, she had a platter with marshmallows, skewers, graham crackers and Hershey bars – both milk chocolate and dark chocolate.

Bruce and Betty, Jane, Nick and Maria all grabbed skewers and stuck their marshmallows on them. Bucky, Peggy, Thor and Steve followed suit while Natasha wrangled a pitcher of hot chocolate and cups out to the fire pit. As the marshmallows toasted, she explained the process of stacking the graham crackers and chocolate so they could capture the toasted marshmallow when it was done.

Soon they were all enjoying the gooey treats. Thor, Bucky and Steve put away more of them than anybody else, much to Natasha's delight. The guys were pretty savvy and had adjusted pretty well to all the new things in this century but it was nice to see them having a good time with simple pleasures and good friends.

Peggy squeezed her hand gently, "Thank you for helping to make all of us feel at home here."

"You're very welcome. I'm just glad that we all have each other now." Natasha rubbed a hand over her belly. "Just knowing that I will have the miracle of children, the miracle of a wonderful husband and the miracle of you all as my friends means so much to me, you can't know."

She spoke quietly to Peggy but Steve and Bucky heard her clearly. "Thank you for having the courage to make all of this happen, Sweetheart." Steve told her, kissing her hand. "If it weren't for your risky scheme to bring Bucky back, none of this would be possible. I can't ever repay the happiness you've brought to all of us."

"You already have." Nat told him with a sweet smile.


	29. Happy Thanksgiving to the Rogers Family

**A/N Sorry for the delay. FFNet is NOT helpful at all when there are constant formatting problems when trying to post. I've sent several emails and gotten NO response at all. Anyway, here it is. Happy Holidays!**

Thanksgiving was the new "it" holiday for The Avengers. Natasha appreciated it because it was much less commercialized than Christmas and because it celebrated her adopted country. Steve had little experience with the "New Improved Thanksgiving" of the 21supst/sup Century so was delighted to find the center of it was gratitude for friends, family, and lots of food.

The mansion, rather than the Tower had become the place to be when everyone was off duty. Sometimes they stayed at the Tower in their old rooms. Generally when they were too tired after a mission to slog across town to their home. For people who literally worked together almost constantly, they still enjoyed each other's company on the weekends and holidays.

The turkey day meal was planned out by Pepper. She arranged for a huge twenty pound turkey, a huge ham, two geese and four ducks to be prepared by Stark Catering and delivered in the early afternoon on the day.

Everyone else brought something to the feast that they had made themselves or bought if they had no real cooking skills. Everyone settled around the table and dove in to the delicious bounty. Natasha was nearly nine months pregnant and felt like her natural grace had fled along with her ability to rein in her appetite. Despite assurances from her trio of doctors that she was gaining exactly the right amount of weight, she felt as though she looked like a walrus. Steve went out of his way to make certain she felt beautiful and desirable but her latent insecurities were still in the background clamoring for her attention.

She was picking at her food until Steve slipped an arm around her and kissed her on the top of her head. "Thank you for making this a truly wonderful day for all of us, Nat."

"I didn't do much to be honest. Pepper arranged for all the meat, I just helped Peggy with a few of the side dishes and our friends brought the rest."

"I'd say it's all a success," he told her quietly. "Everyone is having a great time. It's especially is nice for me to feel like I have the big family I always hoped for. You're the reason for all of this, Nat. All of my happiness and thanks today is because of you." He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

Nat blushed to beat all and whispered back, "Thank you. You need to know that I never could have contemplated anything like this without you, Steve. You're the reason I'm so happy and feel so content. I just wish I didn't look like a baby walrus."

"Sweetheart, you were and still are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen and you're all mine." Steve nuzzled her hair then turned his attention back to his plate.

After dinner, the men all piled into the kitchen to clean up while the women relaxed with Steve's famous hot chocolate and took turns feeling the twins somersaulting in Nat's belly.

"I'm so excited for you, darling," Peggy had one hand on Nat's abdomen and the other holding her hand.

"I'm terrified, if you want to know the truth," Nat admitted. "Steve is convinced that I'll be a great mother but I'm scared, Peg."

"Darling, you will be a great mother. You have wonderful instincts, you are fiercely protective of those you love and you'll have all of us here to help shoulder the joy with you." Peggy's brown eyes were sparkling with love and hope.

"Thank you," Nat said in a small voice. It meant so much to have Peggy and Bucky living with them. She felt that Steve had his family back. Sometimes when she was feeling a little insecure, she still felt that she was the fifth wheel even though Steve, Peg and Buck went out of their way to make certain she knew that none of them would be together if it weren't for her.

"Besides that, anything you need: support, supplies, help in general, you have only to call." Pepper added. "I will tell you though that you probably won't have to call because I plan on being here a lot."

"Thor and I will too, Natasha." Jane said. "Remember, you're his Little Sister now and he will be involved in all this, whether that is good news or not, I can guarantee it."

"Everyone laughed at that. Thor had indeed practically adopted Natasha as his sister and was thrilled that he'd had a hand in getting her and Steve together. His mother, Frigga, insisted on being notified whenever Natasha went into labor. She was determined to have grandchildren, even from an adopted daughter. Nat didn't mind. She'd never had a mother or a brother so she was in awe that Thor and his family loved her. Well, except Loki; but he was an asshole.

"Of course, Thor had already unofficially adopted Steve both as his brother and his brother in arms. Having a literal god at your command might have made a lesser man very full of himself but since this was Steve, he was honored and very flattered that Thor thought so much of him.

"Later that night, after all the guests had gone and the kitchen set back in order, Steve, Natasha, Peggy and Bucky all headed into the home theater room to watch a movie. At nearly nine months pregnant, Nat was wrestling with getting comfortable in the overstuffed cushions of the couch they were all sharing. Steve carefully lifted her into his lap where she could lean back against his chest. She gently squeezed his arm and snuggled closer, grateful that he understood what she needed before she even asked.

During the movie, Nat developed a dull pain low in her back. She squirmed around on Steve's lap trying to find a comfortable spot. Steve tipped her forward and rubbed her lower back, bracing her against his arm and thigh.

"Are you all right, Sweetheart?" He whispered.

"I just feel really uncomfortable all of a sudden. I think I'm going to go upstairs and take a bath." Nat wriggled off his lap and steadied herself against his knee.

"I'll take you up and run the bath for you," Steve was half out of his seat but she waved him back down./span/span/span/div

"No; stay here and enjoy the movie with everyone. I'm fine, really." She didn't feel fine but she didn't want to alarm Steve, Peggy or Bucky.

She made it to the doorway of the movie room when the first real pain hit. Nat gasped and doubled over, grabbing the wall for support. Steve was at her side in an instant, scooping her up into his arms. Damn that super soldier hearing anyway.

"Bucky, Peg...Steve called loudly then hurried out the door into the large living room with Nat in his arms. They came hurrying out, looking worried to see Nat in Steve's arms.

"Natasha's in labor." Steve told them as he moved to the front door.

"I'll get her 'go bag'," Peg said and flew up the stairs.

Bucky held the door for Steve and Natasha, then ran to the car to warm up the engine as Steve brought Nat carefully but quickly to the passenger side. Peggy texted Bruce, Betty, Abraham and Helen Cho to arrange things at the Tower's medical wing to be ready for Natasha's arrival. She called Tony, Clint and Thor to let them know since Thor and Clint were currently staying at the Tower with Tony and Pepper.

Nat couldn't get a full breath before the next pain slammed into her and she gasped again. Steve held her close but not tightly, kissing her forehead. "Remember your breathing, Sweetheart."

Nat nodded at him as sweat beaded on her lip and she tried to comply with deep, even breaths. Steve took her hand so she would have something to hold on to. When the next contraction came, he was surprised at how tightly she gripped his fingers. Even un-enhanced, she was stronger than he thought.

When they got to the Tower, Helen Cho met them with a wheelchair for Natasha in the ambulance bay. Steve would have carried her himself to the room but Dr. Cho and Bruce insisted she be examined quickly in the ER before they could make a determination about what to do next.

Steve was pacing and fretting while they waited. Bucky and Peggy stayed close to him with the rest of the Avengers hanging back a bit after they arrived. They knew he was beside himself with worry about Natasha and about the babies coming too early. Steve's head snapped up when Bruce hurried back into the room.

"Come with me," Bruce told him, ushering him out of the room. "The babies' lungs are developed well enough that we're going to deliver them right away."

"Natasha..." Steve tried but Bruce was way ahead of him.

"She's fine; just anxious to have you with her. It's going to be just fine, Steve. She looks great and the babies are strong and healthy. Go on in." He shooed Steve ahead of him into the room where Natasha was lying half-reclined on a delivery bed and Dr. Cho was standing by her side.

"Nat, are you all right?" Steve slipped his hand over hers and leaned in to give her a kiss.

"I'm good except for labor really sucks. Bruce and Helen say the babies are healthy enough to come out now so I guess we're going to be parents tonight!" She looked a little pale and he could read the tension around her eyes; still she was putting on a brave face.

Steve knew times had changed since 1945. He knew he was welcome in the delivery room but was anxious not to be in the way so they could take care of Natasha. Helen Cho seemed to read his mind, "Steve, just hold her hand, give her comfort and encouragement. Your son and daughter will be here shortly."

Steve nodded and turned his attention back to Natasha who was crushing his hand as another labor pain hit. "Sweetheart, you know I would take the pain for you if I could."

Nat smiled at him, "I know you would. I'm trying to focus on having our babies in our arms in a few minutes."

Helen had ducked beneath the blanket covering Natasha's legs while they spoke, checking to see how far along she was. She popped up with a big smile on her face. "Good news! You're almost completely dilated and effaced. The babies seem to be lined up perfectly so you will probably feel the need to push soon."

Nat and Steve nodded their understanding as Nat began breathing though another contraction. "Why is it so fast, Helen?" Nat asked when she could catch her breath. "I thought labor went on for hours."

"Normally it does but in your case with Steve's serum enhancement, everything seems to be going better than normal." Helen told Nat as she read the various displays on the machines hooked up to Nat and her abdomen.

Bruce came back in, gowned and gloved. Once he was there, Helen hurried off to do the same. Bruce checked Nat again. It had only been a few minutes but he lifted a smiling face to her and Steve. "You're completely dilated and effaced. Anytime you want to start pushing, you're clear to go."

Nat hadn't felt like doing anything except ripping her spine out to stop everything from hurting. Once Bruce said that, it was like magic; she suddenly began to feel the need to push.

Gritting her teeth she pushed with the next contraction instead of fighting it. Steve slipped a hand behind her back and helped her sit up further as she labored. Sweat beaded on her forehead and lip as she fought through the contraction completely silent except for a small growl at the end. Steve had never seen anyone so brave in his life.

You're doing great Nat," Bruce told her as Helen came back into the room. "This one is already starting to crown. Steve, do you want to come help deliver your baby?"

Steve's eyes widened and he looked at Natasha helplessly. She bit her lip to keep from giggling at how cute and completely lost he looked. "Go on. Bring our son or daughter into the world."

Steve let go of her hand and walked around to where Bruce waited with another gown. He slipped it on Steve, tying it in the back then moved aside to allow the super soldier's massive frame into the delivery area.

"Put your hands like this...the baby will come out face down, then we'll gently rotate it to deliver the shoulders." Bruce instructed and showed Steve where to place his hands.

Steve watched as Natasha's body miraculously stretched to accommodate the infant's skull. The baby had a lot of hair from what he could see. It was too wet from amniotic fluid to tell the color. Nat growled again and pushed harder. The baby's head was delivered; Bruce reached over Steve to help him check to make certain the cord wasn't around the baby's neck and to gently ease the shoulders from of it's mother.

A final push, a rush of amniotic fluid and Steve was suddenly holding his...son. He doubled checked to make certain before raising wonder filled eyes to his wife. "Natasha, he's just beautiful," Steve said in a voice rough with emotion. Their son squirmed and looked around with deep blue eyes, squinting at the suddenly light.

Nat was weeping tears of joy watching her husband hold their child for the first time. It was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen.

Helen moved to take the perfectly formed baby boy as Bruce showed Steve how to cut the umbilical cord once it stopped pulsing. Once the cord was cut, Helen moved the now crying infant to a warming tray while Steve and Bruce got ready for the delivery of their girl.

"The other one is coming," Nat gasped, gripping the sides of the bed and gritting her teeth.

Bruce moved Steve aside until the baby was crowning then let the new father back into his place. Steve held out his hands and with Bruce's help, delivered his beautiful little girl into the world. Now Steve was weeping along with Natasha. The tiny girl gave a squawk of displeasure about being pulled into a cooler, larger space than she was used to, then looked around with wide ocean blue eyes. She had a full head of hair as well.

Steve again cut the cord then handed his daughter to Bruce. Steve rose and went to hold Natasha. His heart was overflowing with love for his wife and children. Gratitude that he had the most beautiful woman and the most perfect children and the most wonderful friends filled his heart to overflowing and he wept.

"You did it, Natasha," He whispered, "You've given us a family."

"I'm pretty certain you had something to do with it, too." Natasha kissed him deeply. "We did it together. Thank you, Steve for being here...for doing this with me."

"Where else would I be except by your side?" Steve smiled and stroked his knuckles down her cheek. "I love you so much, Nat. Thank you for making all this possible."

Bruce interrupted at that moment, "Do you have names for these little people?"

Steve's eyebrows rose. He and Natasha had talked about it of course. The one thing he wanted was for his son to be named after Bucky. Nat had readily agreed. She took Steve's hand in hers and spoke to Bruce.

"Yes we do. Our son is James Steven Rogers...our daughter is Sarah Margaret Rogers." Natasha said firmly.

Steve's face showed his surprise and delight, "For Bucky, my mother and..."

"And Peggy. She is still important to both of us and I think it's perfect." Nat said in a tone which brooked no disagreement. "Your son is going to have your name as well. You and Bucky are my heroes, you know."

Steve gathered her in his armed and hugged her as tightly as he dared. "I don't know what I did to deserve you, but I'm grateful."

"You have excellent taste." Nat countered, kissing his cheek and settling back into the bed.

After Nat delivered the two placentas and was able to nurse her babies for the first time, Steve asked if it were all right to bring the rest of the gang in to meet their little family. It was fine with Natasha; Bruce and Helen had no problem with it either. Steve hurried out to bring the rest of their family in.

Everyone filed in quietly and surrounded the bed where Natasha lay with a baby in each arm. She nodded to Steve, who picked up the boy and handed him to Bucky. Bucky looked positively terrified at first as Steve arranged the sleeping baby in his arms. His face slowly broke into a huge grin. "He's beautiful, Steve."

"Thank you. Would you like to know his name?" Steve asked with a grin.

Bucky looked up questioningly. "His name is James Steven Rogers."

Steel blue eyes widened as Bucky took in what Steve had said, "James? You named him after me?"

"Who else?" Steve hugged his friend then stepped away to pick up his daughter.

"Peggy?" He handed the tiny girl to her. "Her name is Sarah Margaret Rogers."

"Peggy looked around wildly from Steve to Natasha then back to Steve. "For your mother and me?"

Steve nodded, grinning like a fiend. "It was Nat's idea."

"We love you both," Nat murmured from the bed. Bucky and Peggy stepped over to her and kissed her, each holding their respective namesakes. Their eyes were suspiciously bright with unshed tears of happiness.

By the time everyone had a turn holding the babies and congratulation the new parents, Natasha was fast asleep. Helen had another bed brought into the room and pushed close to Nat so Steve could lie down as well. The babies were fed and fast asleep in their respective hospital beds. Bruce wanted to keep Nat there anyway for at least twenty-four hours to monitor her and the children for any unexpected developments which might occur from the serum.

Steve drifted off to sleep holding Nat's hand, and looking at his children sleeping peacefully. Once they were dried off, he could see that his son had auburn hair while his daughter's was strawberry blonde. They were perfectly healthy and all his and Natasha's. He never felt so blessed. Happy Thanksgiving, indeed.


End file.
